Everyday work
Give your employee a clear job
Describe the result, sources, boundaries, and finish line so your employee can produce work you can use.
A clear job answers a practical question: what should exist when the work is finished? “Help with marketing” opens a conversation. “Draft a one-page service overview for a prospective customer using our current offer notes” gives your employee something you can assess.
You can still think aloud when the outcome is unclear. Ask for help defining the job, then agree on the work before expecting it to proceed.
Before you begin
Section titled “Before you begin”Choose one outcome and gather the minimum relevant information. Decide which parts you will review and which actions your employee is allowed to take under your existing agreement.
Explain the job in five parts
Section titled “Explain the job in five parts”- Result: Name the deliverable and who will use it.
- Sources: Point to the current information it should rely on.
- Boundaries: State what to leave out and what requires your decision.
- Finish line: Describe what makes the result useful enough to review.
- Timing: Give a real deadline, including the date and time zone when timing matters.
Draft a one-page service overview for a prospective customer using the offer notes I shared. Include who the service is for, the work included, and the next step. Leave out prices unless the notes confirm them. Done means a clear draft I can review and send myself. First confirm the sources you can read and any missing facts. Do not publish or send it.
Add your actual deadline separately. A deadline is a constraint, not proof that work has been scheduled or accepted. If your setup uses a work board, follow its assignment process and confirm that the item is assigned to your employee and ready to start.
What you should see
Section titled “What you should see”Your employee should restate the intended result, identify missing information that matters, and produce the agreed work or explain what prevents completion. A useful blocker is specific: “I need the current offer description.”
If the job is too large, ask your employee to suggest a first reviewable piece. Keep the first piece valuable on its own, such as an outline based on confirmed information.
Review and repair
Section titled “Review and repair”- The result serves the intended reader.
- Important statements trace to the sources I provided.
- The work respects the boundaries I set.
- Any unfinished part is named clearly.
If the answer wanders, return to the finish line: “The result I need is the one-page overview. Keep the strategy discussion separate and finish the draft.” Correct the job definition if it caused the confusion.
Next, review the finished work. When you encounter the same job again, reuse the clear assignment and change the source information, audience, or deadline as needed.