Replying to LO24834 --
Malcolm said: "This is, I guess, a round-about way of suggesting that job
descriptions alone won't sufficiently inculcate LO approaches: there needs
to be an explicit commitment by the firm to support employee learning as
part of the business plan. "
I'm not sure about this but I recall one of Tom Peter's videos where he
interviewed a senior person within a steel company (Nu Cor?). Anyway this
company apparently operates without any formal job descriptions and Tom
asked the question "How do you manage without job descriptions?" The
answer:
"We talk to each other!"
Whether this story is true or not I can't say but the message certainly
appeals to me. When businesses are changing as fast as they are today job
descriptions tend to be out of date the day after they are written. They
can be used by people (employees and employers) to manipulate situations,
to hamper progress and limit flexibility. Many job descriptions I see
these days have a clause that basically says 'The incumbent will do
anything else the manager asks them to do' - which of course is a
recognition of the fact that there is no way a job description can ever
describe what people are really expected to do.
So I agree with you Malcolm - why not ask people to "Engage in regular
dialogue about what needs to be done around here." or put simply "Please
talk and listen to each other."
Regards
Peter
Peter H. Jones
Peopletronics Limited
Tel. 64 4 569 8875, Fax: 64 4 569 8881
Web Page: http://www.peopletronics.com
--"Peter H. Jones" <peter@peopletronics.co.nz>
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