That’s Not My Job

You may remember the story Charles Osgood once told about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Those who exclaim, “That’s not my job!” shirk the responsibility of what it means to be a team player. The words are a gut punch to every leader. They loudly declare exactly who undermines team spirit. Sometimes words can destroy morale and weaken the desire to operate as a team. Perhaps no reply is more off-putting than the statement, “That’s not my job.” Leaders remind themselves and everyone on the team never to utter those words. They insist on a different expression: “It is always my job.” And, they lead by that example.