I want to welcome new subscribers from our workshops last week out in California. Busy week this week, Wilmington to Washington DC ending up in Chicago. Looking forward to reconnecting.
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“So, if the first step in the hiring process is to define the Level of Work in the role, how do I do that?” Ellen sounded off.

“Ellen, look, it’s not like you are starting from scratch,” I assured her. “You know how to talk about the tasks in the role. You use words to describe the activities. You just have to listen to the words. Let’s start with a Stratum I role. And let’s pick a discipline, like marketing. Describe to me what you would include in a role description that calibrates the role at Stratum I?”

“Okay, marketing. Stratum I. I know that Stratum I roles typically work on tasks that can be completed between one day, to one week, to one month to three months. I immediately begin to think about the administrative paperwork that is attached to any marketing campaign. Marketing is creative, collaborative, often involves outside vendors. There are contracts that have to be signed, media orders that have to be placed, layouts that have to be completed, colors that have to be approved. Many of those decisions are outside the bounds of a Stratum I role, but the paperwork still has to be typed, and filed. Phone calls still have to be made. Folders have to be completed that contain the contracts.”

“It is interesting that, in defining Stratum I decisions, you most clearly identified decisions that were NOT Stratum I. You talked about contracts that have to be signed, and indicated that was outside the bounds of Stratum I?”

“Well, yes,” Ellen described confidently. “A contract is about a commitment with a client. The contract commits resources, budget, managerial oversight. The Time Span of those commitments are way beyond three months.”

“So, you WERE listening. To the words you used to describe the role. The clues are all there.”