Does Your Small Business Have Defined Roles & Responsibilities?

Who’s on first!? Are ya’ll familiar with this famous Abbott & Costello sketch? If not, watch the video above…

Ok, so you might be wondering what this old comedy bit from 1938 has to do with roles and responsibilities in your small business. Really, it has everything to do with our experience coming into collaborations of all kinds and in a variety of industries asking, “Who...does…what?” We like clarity when it comes to organizing teams and tasks. We also tend to assume that if we’re not clear on who is responsible for what when we come into a new project, then we’re probably not the only ones who feel in the dark.

In any organization —big or small — success relies to some degree on a clear, consistent and reliable structure. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities ensures that your team operates efficiently, confusion is minimized and shared goals have shared accountability. One of our team members used to work in fitness management for a large fitness chain. The company’s systems were so good he felt he was able to hop around from club to club and be impactful largely because it was always clear the role he needed to play. Despite how whacky show business can be, our experience with film sets is the same because production crew roles are very consistent across the business whether the project is short form or long form, a single day or months long.

With all that said, here are three key reasons why we recommend your business should prioritize clearly defining roles and responsibilities for your team:

1. Boosts Efficiency

When everyone knows their role, tasks are completed faster and with greater focus. Employees can direct their energy toward what they do best and avoid unnecessarily duplicating efforts.

2. Enhances Accountability

Defined roles make it clear who is responsible for what. Clear responsibilities ensure that critical tasks don’t fall through the cracks. Employees feel empowered to deliver on their portion of their commitment and accountability to the larger vision. Which leads me to…

3. Improves Collaboration

When roles are clear, team members understand how their puzzle piece fits into the bigger picture. When people can focus on doing their portion to the best of their abilities and trust others to do the same, a really beautiful creative and collaborative energy is fostered.

This is why we encourage our collaborators to move through a Roles and Responsibilities step in our alesce Growth Model. As your business grows, defined roles create a solid foundation for good communication, improved collaboration and growing  more efficiently. When roles and responsibilities are clear, new team members can also more integrate seamlessly into your organization as everyone knows what part they play and why.

As a small business owner or a manager this frees you up to focus on big picture decisions rather than worrying if little things are falling through the cracks. And we all know worrying about those little things can lead to big headaches! Our advice? Do yourself a solid and take some time to clearly define the part everyone plays in the grand vision of your business :)