But It’s Not My Job

If you find yourself saying, “But it’s not my job,” when unexpected challenges happen at work, then you may need to consider what exactly is your job. That review can help open the door to some performance breakthroughs.

Keep in mind that I’m the professional speaker who talks about avoiding distractions. I speak to audiences about focusing on their most important tasks and eliminating others. Why would I suggest going beyond your job description?

Because sometimes, your job is about doing more.

TV News Example

I don’t believe any of my TV news job descriptions mentioned setting up equipment but often that’s what I’d do.

In news, you’re alway under deadline pressure, especially when you’re reporting from the field. If you’re supposed to present a live report at 11 p.m., then you need to make sure it happens, no matter the challenges. These can include having to set up in total darkness, deal with technical challenges, or unruly crowds.

There were several times when my photographer was just starting to frame up the live shot, as the anchors were reading the introduction to our segment.

In the control room, I’m sure it looked like chaos. But the viewers didn’t see it. Instead, they got to watch the story.

While we were cutting it very close, we would have not been that close had I not helped set up some of the equipment.

Please, understand I’m not doing a lot of the heavy lifting. But in a two person crew, an extra pair of hands can make a big difference, especially when you’re racing the clock. So I’d help unpack things, set up a light, or carry the camera tripod.

While none of these tasks were in my job description, my job wasn’t just to tell the story. It also was to make sure it got on the air. The greatest story isn’t worth much if no one can see it.

Think about what’s the real meaning of your job, its ultimate purpose. That should help inform you, when you need to decide to go beyond your job description.

The Disney Example

You may have heard the recent story of a child with autism having a challenging time, while meeting Snow White at Walt Disney World. The boy’s mother said, after standing in line, when it was time to meet the princess, he had a meltdown.

The cast member, playing Snow White, took the child aside, spent some one-on-one time with him, and cheered him up. She made a bad experience a memorable moment.

This was a great example of showing kindness and going beyond the job description. Some might say, the job is just to smile and pose for pictures with people.

But when an unexpected moment happened, it was revealed to the world that the Snow White performer’s ultimate purpose is about creating moments of joy for people, even those who are distressed.