Real Leaders Go Beyond Their Job Description

In the workplace, we tend to define ourselves according to job titles and descriptions. Your title establishes what you do, what you’re in charge of, what your responsibilities are — and also what’s outside of your purview. Your job title defines what you need to do and what’s frankly not your concern; it lets you know when you’re fulfilling your obligations and, perhaps, when you’re truly going the extra mile.

But what if we didn’t have job titles?

What if you arrived at work one day and there was no longer any hierarchy, no way in which the members of your team were categorized? Would it be disastrous? Would it mean that work would grind to a standstill — or would people step up to do whatever it took for the team to succeed, regardless of whether it was truly “their responsibility” or not?

I’m not saying this is how things should be. Job titles and hierarchies serve useful functions in coordinating the office and facilitating delegation and project management. However, your response to this hypothetical scenario may be telling. It may speak volumes about your propensity for real leadership.

Real leadership means understanding your job description, and the job descriptions of everyone on your team — but it also means not being bound by those descriptions. Leadership isn’t about doing only…