Some thoughts on the link between Job Descriptions and Systems.

There can be little argument that a systems’ driven (small) business is essential to allow an enterprise not only to grow beyond its dependence on the owner/founder but also to grow into a ‘real’ business and not just a job. If you don’t have the ability to step away from the business for two to three weeks at a time and experience smooth operations then you are fooling yourself. You are self-employed and working for a boss who’s an idiot!

I say this with some humility as I’ve fooled myself on several occasions.

So let’s assume you agree that a business is a system of systems and that you have created  (or are creating) your individual systems, which establish the results to be produced, the work required and the resources needed complete with a map of how it all works.

Pretty straightforward stuff.

And let’s assume that you have a Job Descriptions or Job Agreements with ‘descriptions’ in them.

Ask yourself this (or take a look at what you have):

Do your job descriptions have a list of tasks the person performs or have you taken it one step further and listed the ‘systems’ the person performs?

Let me give you an example:

Perhaps your Receptionists JD has something like “Greet potential customers on the telephone in a cordial manner”.

How much more powerful would it be to replace the above with, “Greet potential customers using the insert company name ‘WOW’ incoming call system”?

Or if you think that’s too simplistic perhaps your sales team (or person) has “attend to customer quotes” as a task. Replace it with “Generate a high level of customer conversion using the insert company name awesome customer conversion and follow up system”.

I assume you have one.

Benefits

Listing systems removes the need to cover everything off in detail: 10 systems will cover a multitude of tasks.

As things inevitably change you more often than not just revise the system. There is little need to continuously revise JDs.

As you grow and bring in more specialised roles from more multi tasking roles (perhaps from receptionist/AR/AP/Payroll to receptionist & payroll) you simple drag the relevant systems from none JD to the other.

It may not remove that all too asked question from new employees of, “How do I do that?”

( answer: “follow the system in your Job Description” )
but if it still gets asked than you know you have a system to develop or one that needs tweaking.