"Sorry, that's not my job"

Does anyone else bristle when they hear this?

I just love Nike’s manifesto from the 1970s: “Your job isn’t done until THE job is done,” speaks volumes about commitment in the workplace.

It’s LESS about ticking off a box and saying “Done”
It's MORE about taking ownership of the outcome.

Isn’t this the type of person you want to attract to your workplace?

Yes please!

Fast forward 50 years since this was written and in 2024, this mantra can compete with a psychosocial hazard: lack of role clarity.

Lack of role clarity means you aren't clear on your job, responsibilities, or what is expected of you.

Sometimes it's hard to give clarity on what role you need to play, as this requires you, as a leader, to try to predict the future (and, if you're like me, I even struggle to estimate how many reusable shopping bags I take into Coles, I always get it wrong!).

So, you have to give clarity BUT you're unsure what exactly needs to be done to get there.

What do you do?

I advise clients to create a RESULTS DESCRIPTION instead of a traditional job description.

Results Descriptions:
✅ Focus on outcomes: Shifts the focus from tasks -> impact
✅ Clarity on responsibilities: Clearly outline what success looks like for each responsibility. This helps workers understand their contributions to the larger goals.
✅ Encourage innovation + discretionary effort: Your employees have more flexibility in how results are driven, encouraging problem-solving/increasing autonomy.
✅ Alignment with company goals: Individual results are aligned with the broader objectives of your organisation

What are your thoughts?

Also...which item in Nike's manifesto is your favourite?

#roleclarity #discretioneryeffort #justdoit