As I enter into the New Year, I have the personal desire to refocus and gain clarity for my life. I am a strong believer and practitioner of defining personal and professional direction in order to achieve my desired outcomes. One of the tools that I designed and use is a “Work Design Blueprint.” The Work Design Blueprint helps me clearly define my key responsibilities, tasks, and necessary skills. Let me explain it to you.
Responsibilities
The Work Design Blueprint starts by first identifying your key responsibilities. Responsibilities are broad areas of focus within your influence. You probably have 4 to 6 main responsibilities.
These are some of the responsibilities that I have defined for myself. I like to give the responsibilities unique names that drive the larger purpose of the work I do.
Tasks
The next step to this process is to identify the tasks within each responsibility. Tasks are defined parts of work within your responsibilities, and there can be multiple tasks within each one.
Here is an example of the tasks that I have identified within the responsibility of Farmer of New Business.
I write my tasks in a positive goal-oriented manner. I like to start with the phrase, “I will…” Using this phrase helps me know whether or not I am truly committed to the task.
Skills
The final step to this process is to identify the skills necessary to do the tasks. Skills are the abilities and knowledge necessary to do a task to fulfill the responsibility. Identifying the specific skills will help you become more aware of your strengths and deficiencies.
Here are some of the skills that I have identified within the responsibility of Farmer of New Business.
Included in this blog is a template for you to create your own blueprint. I display my blueprint next to my desk and track my results. Remember, this is a working document and never truly completed. Roles, responsibilities, and tasks change constantly in today’s work environment, and your blueprint will change as well.
Finally, there are two other applications for this tool. First, this is a great resource to use if you have the responsibility to manage others. Have those you manage create their own blueprint and use this document during one-on-one sessions to track performance, coach, and provide direction. Second, this tool is also helpful for clarifying and giving direction to your personal life.
Action
- Block off time on your calendar to create your Work Design Blueprint.
