Who's Job is it Anyway?

Who’s Job is it anyway?

Recently I was alerted to an issue of importance by one of our producers–the income from a particular company on a particular policy. I will spare the details because they are not relevant to the larger point. He was telling me that he asked for, and received a 100% increase in the commission level by simply asking. Can you imagine that? Double your income by simply asking – what a concept? What was also interesting to me was a comment that this request was a producers’ job and not the job of the office staff. That comment and perception troubled me for days. “Not my job.” How many times have we heard that as a response? Also how frustrated were you when you heard this as an answer to a question? I would imagine that the response was very frustrating and you were not happy to be on the receiving end. This response flies in the face of responsibility to a larger cause. Why would anyone feel like helping someone is not their job? Naturally, this thought got me thinking.
First, I was very disturbed that the comment could come from our company. We have too many dedicated and hard working people for me to believe that we have a pervasive issue with responsibility rejection. Second, I know we have rather loosely defined job descriptions, so I wonder how anyone even knows where their job begins and ends. Third, I refuse to believe we have people who don’t want to be helpful – to their team or to the company. How can anyone not care for the success of their company with all of the economic uncertainty that is pervasive today? This led me to conclude that we have yet another example of incomplete communication of a major theme. The consequence is we have created an unclear vision that apparently leads people to not know definitively the responsibility of their job and more importantly the impact at every level on our success. This writing is intended to clear up that error.
I plan to clearly define everyone’s job and draw a distinction between our job and our role. Let me first establish some fundamental truths. In a competitive marketplace, we are constantly under attack by our competitors in the marketplace. Competition seeks to take away what we have achieved. If you stay entrenched in a position, the competition will run you over and ultimately take away what you have. This is the very nature of a competitive marketplace. Competition is both fierce and relentless. If you think I am wrong –ask yourself what is happening to General Motors or AIG or Washington Mutual Savings Bank. Also, what got you here isn’t good enough to get you there. Why do you think they qualify investment alternatives with the statement “past performance is not a guarantee for future results?” Mutual Funds are nothing more than an investment in a collection of companies, just like DII. What this means is that we must constantly improve, do more, create more value. What we did 5 years ago is not going to cut it tomorrow. Every improvement is matched; every good idea is usurped. Think of your cell phone. Making a phone call is not even a feature that is interesting when buying a new phone. It is assumed that the phone will make a call. If it doesn’t text, connect to the internet, keep your schedule, download games and ringtones, keep your schedule, play video, etc. it isn’t worth the price we pay for the new phone. What does this have to do with our job?
Here is the fact, everyone has the same job. Simple, our job is to make sure we survive and thrive. If we do not survive and thrive, nothing else will matter. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This will not happen unless everyone has the same goal. We have a collective responsibility to do whatever we can to thrive. By this definition, my job is very broad. It may mean looking beyond what I did in the past and see what I can do in the future to help. Maybe like the cell phone, I used to just make calls and tomorrow, I need to play video. Maybe if a call is transferred to my phone in error or in my case they meant to get Tom Bevans or Tom Singleton, I might try to help them rather than say, it’s not my job. This happens all of the time. My job is to make sure all of our clients receive excellent service. Breanna at the switchboard has the same job – isn’t that interesting. Geographically, she is in the front of the office and I am at the back and everyone in between has the same job. This might mean taking a misdirected call; it might also mean asking for the best offer a company can advance. It might mean asking if the commission we are receiving is the best available. The details are not as important as the concept. Whatever it takes to ensure our success is our job.
Now let me turn to our role. Here is where there is some distinction. Each of has a unique role. Breanna’s role and my role are completely different. Yet they are equally important. Joe Flacco can’t complete a pass unless 10 other players execute their roles. The offensive line is just as important to the play as the wide receiver. A failure of anyone in the execution of their role will ruin the outcome. To do our job, we all must have clarity of our roles and a commitment to the job. If you stay with my Raven’s analogy, you will also appreciate that our roles overlap and frequently switch places. The key block might come from a running back or Joe Flacco himself might catch the pass – like last week. Whatever it takes to score. One thing is for sure, before Raven’s take the field, everyone knows their role and everyone is committed to doing their job - help the team win.
No different for DII. Every day we are confronted with the relentless attack from the marketplace. Let’s understand that our job is the same.