Tips to Improve the Definition of Responsibilities and Tasks in the Company.
Pepe Villacís - 13 de julio, 2021
CRM
In companies, regardless of their size or complexity, a large part of the problems originate in the lack of clarity in the responsibilities that fall on each of the members.
If such responsibilities have been defined, the absence of clear communication often leads to confusion in carrying out their responsibilities and tasks, both for the person who must carry out a job and achieve certain objectives, as well as for the other participants in the work team. Additionally, there are no goals and indicators that allow us to objectively evaluate whether the individual -precisely- and adequately fulfilled his duty, through the consistent exercise of his tasks, which are the actions that allow him to reach his goals.
Responsibilities
It is important that it is clear what the expectation to be fulfilled is for each responsibility mentioned; the goal and the final result to be obtained. The indicators that will measure this management must be defined (a few, not too many) and how to generate the information to build these indicators to follow up on the fulfillment of responsibilities. This is how the Royal Spanish Academy defines it: "Fulfillment of obligations or care in doing or deciding something."
It is not about the activities to be carried out, but about the purpose, objective, or "what for" of such activities.
Responsibilities are, as the name suggests, the commitments and obligations to which you are accountable for your role.
Mark the areas in which you are responsible for making decisions, generating the necessary actions so that the results of the work are given, in time and form.
Likewise, it is also important that for each responsibility, the degree of authority set for that position is established. For the proper assumption of an obligation, it becomes critical that the degree of authority you have is clear, to manage each of your responsibilities.
Tasks
One of the most frequent weaknesses in descriptions is that they place little emphasis on responsibilities, and focus primarily on tasks. Tasks are the activities that normally must be performed systematically and consistently to properly accomplish a task. They are not exhaustive and the person responsible will do what they have to do to fulfill their commitment. They have the level of authority appropriate to they responsibility.
In a company, the important thing is not how much you do in scattered actions, but how much you contribute to the fulfillment of a responsibility -throughout it- to concrete goals and objectives.
Focusing on responsibilities and indicators, rather than on tasks, allows the person a higher level of autonomy and creativity when choosing the "how", being clear about the "what for" and the "how much".
Thus, continuous improvement flows naturally, and then we not only have better achievements, but also feel better.
Examples of responsibilities and tasks
In conclusion, if we do not "chalk the playing field" of our companies or organizations, we will depend on getting employees or members who are very mature personally and professionally. And that have a great attitude towards teamwork and collaboration, so that things run smoothly and peacefully.
On the contrary, if we do our job as owners, directors, or leaders, to define who is responsible for what and also how we need things to be done, a wider range of people will give us good results.
What actions will you take in your company and in your life in this regard?
By Pepe Villacís
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Auditing. Master in Business (obtained in Arizona USA). Personal Coach, certified by CoachVille Spain. Business Coach, Management Coach and Coach of Coaches of ActionCoach Mexico.
