Sometimes it’s hard to be confident at work even when you have good role clarity. That’s true for me anyway.
Perhaps you have similar insecurities at times. If you do, you’re not alone. I’m right there with you.
But, I’ve found a proven way to build my confidence.
It works for me and I’m sure it will work for you too.
The approach is captured in the fifth question in this series on how to increase role clarity in your job.
The final question
We’ve reached the last of the five questions I introduced in the post, How To Create Role Clarity With 5 Simple Questions.
You’ve taken several keys steps to get more role clarity in your job.
Before we discuss question 5, take a moment to consider all you’ve accomplished by applying the techniques in these posts.
1. What Am I Doing?
You documented all the tasks you are currently doing. (“Build A Strong Foundation For Role Clarity By Knowing Your Tasks“)
2. What Should I Stop Doing?
You stopped doing things that were better left undone or assigned to someone else. (“How To Discover What You Should Stop Doing“)
3. What Should I Keep Doing?
You gained confidence by realizing the unique value you bring to your organization. (“4 Simple Actions To Know What To Keep Doing“)
4. What Should I Start Doing?
You put energy and excitement into your career by starting new tasks. (“How to Start Doing Tasks To Energize Your Career“)
5. Who Should Review My Answers?
In this post, we’ll cover this last, and critical, question.
Getting others involved with your new and improved set of tasks
You may be curious why I would say that reviewing your answers to the first four questions is critical.
After all, through the previous posts you’ve already reviewed your performance goals and your individual development plan which almost certainly included input from others.
It’s not like you created your list of job tasks in a vacuum. But the review I’m recommending you do with certain people isn’t just about getting input.
The review I’m describing has much more power than simply asking for the advice of others.
It has power that will bring you a level of confidence you may have never experienced in your career.
The power in reviewing your task list with the right people
You could make great progress in creating role clarity just by answering the first four questions.
By doing this, you will have a list of tasks you will do going forward. And, you’ll have a list of tasks you aren’t going to do. The tasks line up with what you’ve been asked to do by your manager. They connect with your performance goals and development plan.
That’s all great.
But, beyond your manager, does anyone else know about your list? If not, you’re at risk.
Power through accountability
Have you ever made a commitment to do something but didn’t tell anyone about it? And then, when things got tough and you were tempted to quit, you quietly gave up on your goal. Because, after all, no one else knew what you wanted to accomplish anyway.
No? Just me? Okay. Never mind that example then.
But, have you ever committed to do something and then told others you were going to do it? Maybe you even made your intentions public and really put yourself out there.
If you have done that, I expect you experienced the benefits of an increased accountability to do what you said you were going to do.
This applies to your task list you created. You can write it on a piece of paper and slip it in your drawer. Or you can leave it buried deep in a folder on your hard drive where only you know about it.
Or, you can review it with the right people, or even give them a copy of it, and be much more confident that you will complete the work you decided was beneficial for you and your organization.
Engaging the right people to review your list of tasks brings accountability and confidence.
Reviewing your task list with the right people also sets healthy boundaries for yourself and others.
Power through boundaries
If you don’t review your list of tasks with others, there’s another danger seeking to destroy your role clarity.
Imagine this scenario. I doubt it will be hard if you’ve been in the workforce for any time at all.
Would you do this for me please?
Someone asks you to do something that is not on your list of tasks you worked so hard to create.
It’s likely a polite request, “Would you do this for me please?” They asked nicely, but this is exactly the situation that caused you to realize you needed better role clarity. What do you do?
Do you say yes to their request even though what they are asking you to do is something you and your manager agreed isn’t your responsibility?
You may be tempted to go against what you already decided. But, there is no reason for you to give in to that temptation.
In fact, if you’ve had a meaningful discussion with the right people, you can be fully confident in saying “No.” Or maybe, “No, thank you.” to be polite.
A written list of the tasks you are responsible for and committed to complete sets a healthy boundary for you and for others. It establishes a clear, predetermined distinction between what you will and won’t do.
And, when you know the right people are in agreement with the boundary you’ve established, your confidence to enforce that healthy balance is strengthened.
It’s not just you who is saying, “No, thank you.”
Your conversations with the right people remind you that it’s not just you alone who is saying you will not to take on a specific request. Your position represents the consensus of those with whom you’ve consulted.
You and your group of the right people collectively agree that saying “yes” to what you’re being asked to do is not in your best interest or the best interest of the organization.
And, the benefits of a healthy boundary created by your reviewed task list don’t only apply to saying “no” to additional work.
More confidence to say, “Yes.”
The conversations you’ve had with the right people about your tasks also build your confidence to say “yes.”
For example, when you are tempted to not follow through on your personal development tasks because you feel like you’re being selfish by investing in your own career, you can be more confident to follow through. Because, you are not just doing what you believe to be positive and healthy for you and your career.
You are doing what a select group of the right people have also said you need to be doing.
These boundaries established and strengthened by the reviews of your task list by the right people will maintain your role clarity. And, they will make you more successful and fulfilled in your career.
But, you probably have a lingering question. Who are these “right people” I’ve been referring to?
That’s brings us back to the fifth question which I said was critical. Now, let’s find the answer.
Question 5. Who Should Review My Answers?
Obviously, the details of your answer to this question will be unique to you and your situation.
But this list of people I recommend review your task list has worked for me and for many others I’ve coached. In most situations, this list captures the “right people” to review your task list so you can be confident in your work.
The right people to review your task list
1. The person you report to
This is pretty obvious and we’ve covered the importance of being aligned with your manager (or your board if you’re a CEO). Integrating your task list with your assigned responsibilities, your performance goals, and the actions in your individual development plan is critical.
Knowing you and the person you report to are fully aligned on what you will and won’t be doing in your role makes you a more confident and effective employee.
2. The person you are going to report to
If you are taking a new position within an organization or your reporting structure changes, it is important to review your task list with your new manager.
Your list of tasks will enable a very clear and direct conversation to establish agreed upon expectations for you and your new manager.
You will make a positive first impression when you share your task document with your new boss. Few people take the time to do this and you will distinguish yourself. Don’t be surprised if your new leader asks if you are willing to share your document with the rest of the team to use as a template. I’ve seen this happen multiple times.
3. Your team
By sharing your task list with your team, either your peers or your direct reports, you are demonstrating trust and vulnerability. This act of humility will inspire others. And, this particular set of “the right people” are often the most effective at holding you accountable.
If you are fully committed to sticking with your planned tasks, share your task document with your team. Tell them what you will and won’t be doing. And, invite them to hold you to your word.
In my experience, they will not only hold you accountable, but they will also do all they can to help you be successful in meeting your commitment.
4. Your trusted advisors
Another group of “the right people” who have great power to hold you accountable are your most trusted advisors. This may include your mentor, your sponsor, or people outside of your organization. Your spouse or another family member may be who you trust for guidance.
These individuals will give you accountability and encouragement as well as insight into adjustments you might want to make to continually improve.
5. Yourself
Continually reviewing your own task list is important. We all need to be reminded of what we have agreed to do. It’s easy to forget the decisions we’ve made and lose the benefit of the work we invested to create role clarity in our position.
Implement a system to ensure you review your task list regularly.
A simple recurring calendar event is a great way to stay consistent. Schedule ten minutes every Monday morning to review your task list and plan for the week. End the week with a short calendar entry every Friday afternoon to compare what you actually did with what you planned to do. Then, make corrections as needed to make sure you stay true to the set of tasks all the right people (including yourself) are expecting you to do.
Leading the right people by example
The approach I recommend is not always going to be easy. But, leading is rarely easy.
A little scary but extremely powerful
Involving the right people to review your tasks can be intimidating and scary. It will sometimes take courage. But, as you do it, it will get easier and you will be more confident with each conversation you have.
The reality is conversations like this are scary for other people too. Including some of your “right people”.
You are setting an example for them. You are demonstrating humility, vulnerability, and powerful leadership.
Being willing to disclose what you’re doing and not doing. Writing down the things you’ve decided to stop doing. Stating the tasks you should keep doing. Admitting the tasks you should start doing. These actions all communicate that you may have been wrong at some point and may still not be exactly right. Doing these things will also reassure the people you talk with that you’re okay with that.
Giving others the freedom to not be perfect
Your attitude will create psychological safety because it gives others the freedom to also not always get it right, You’re assuring them that you don’t expect them to always have all the right answers either. They don’t have to be perfect.
This act of inviting them in may be uncomfortable for you (and maybe for them), but it can bring tremendous unity to a team and an organization. And, it can strengthen other’s trust in you as a leader regardless of whether you have a formal position of authority.
Others will respect and appreciate your approach and will model your leadership behaviors to others.
Your leadership example will cascade throughout your organization
By giving your right people the invitation and space to comment on your task list, you will create role clarity for yourself and for them.
In fact, you may find this exercise reveals opportunities for others to take on tasks you are doing to free you up to do work that only you can do. By being curious with them about the best use of your time, they will want to invest their time more wisely too.
They can share these activities with their teams and cause these practices to cascade bringing increased role clarity to the entire organization. Inviting the right people to hold you accountable will encourage them to ask their right people to do the same.
The positive impact of your actions will have an impact greater than you will ever know.
Benefits far beyond role clarity
As we wrap up this series on How To Create Role Clarity With 5 Simple Questions, I trust you see how this approach can make you more effective and confident as a leader.
The benefits of asking these five questions extend far beyond creating role clarity.
As you implement these techniques, I’m confident you will see personal benefits as will every person you choose to involve in your discussions. And, through these conversations, you will have a lasting positive impact throughout your organization and beyond.
Let’s lead with kindness and confidence.
Greg
