Hey Founder, Got a Job Description?

The plaque above sits on a shelf in my office and I look at it and absorb it everyday!

I do. It may look simple, but I when venture outside of these four areas of focus my team suffers.

Feeling like you have too many irons in the fire and fires to put out? That’s not where you want to be at this point in your business’s growth. I've learned that a clear, concise job description with as few words as possible is incredibly valuable for focus and clarity. I want to share something that holds a special place in my office – a plaque, a little like the Notre Dame sign football players tap on their way to the field. For me, it’s a daily reminder of how I aim to best serve the company. It's a succinct four-word job description: Inspire. Vision. Align. Coach.

Let's break it down:

Inspire – The company looks to you for energy and inspiration. It's your role to stay inspired by what we're doing here and ensure everyone, from our customers to stakeholders, knows just how much you love our mission and your job. When you're on point, the entire company benefits. If you're feeling low, it can affect the whole team. That's why it's crucial to stay above the line, especially in tough situations, and keep everyone focused on the bigger picture.

Vision – You're responsible for ensuring the company understands what we do and where we're headed. At MegaFood, we're all about improving lives through genuine, intentional food. It's our mission to inspire with our brands, INNATE Response Formulas and MegaFood. We sum it up as #ilio – “improve lives and inspire others.” This also happens to be my personal mission statement, making it easy to stay aligned with our purpose.

We believe we're playing a part in eliminating nutritional poverty. It's not just about selling products; we're driven by a bigger vision. One of the best parts of my job is sharing the hill we're aiming to conquer.

Our mission and vision are why we attract and retain exceptional people. This is our "why," as Simon Sinek would say. It's at the core of who we are and how we do business. Your job is to make sure everyone knows it.

Align – Your task is to echo the message of our plan consistently and ensure everyone in the organization sees themselves in it. You're also the one to gently steer the company back on course if we veer too far. While I don't create the strategy, I'm here to align the whole company around the strategy we collectively believe in.

From where I stand, I see all the moving parts. I can spot where one area might be causing friction for another. I can identify when a team member might inadvertently be causing stress. It's not just about noticing; it's about making sure things get fixed.

Coach – Coaching is a huge part of my day. I see coaching as a perfect metaphor – understanding who you're coaching before offering advice, tailoring your approach to the individual. It's not my job to give out solutions. I'm here to guide people to find their answers, to empower them to succeed on their own. Empowering leaders at all levels of our organization is crucial to our growth and success, and the coaching approach ensures people feel just that.

So, what would be your four-word job description? And how well would you say you commit to living them every day? If you need help finding answers, our team at ScalePassion are always here for you.

Sincerely,

Rob Craven, scalepassion

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All credit to my ghostwriting partner, Dave Moore, who is instrumental in getting my thoughts out in a coherent manner & into these blogs. Thanks Dave!