Navigating the Ambiguous Skies: Job Architecture as a Tool for Increasing Clarity

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to test my pilot skills in a state-of-the-art flight simulator. The instructor thought it would be fun to challenge us students by disabling the aircraft's instrumentation soon after take-off. It didn't end well - for me or my imaginary passengers.

Without instruments, my ability to accurately determine altitude, airspeed, and heading was significantly impaired, leading to disorientation and making it difficult for me to maintain control of the aircraft. Cloud cover and altitude all but eliminated visual references that might have confirmed that I was at least heading in the right direction, and without instruments, I struggled to navigate, increasing my chances of getting lost. To add insult to injury, our sadistic instructor introduced nasty weather conditions which changed every few hundred miles, and very unexpectedly. Without instruments, I was lacking critical information about wind speed and direction. It was at this moment that my passengers reached for their air sickness bags, warning signals blared, and my flight was terminated due to hypoxia.

Flying without instruments forces pilots to rely heavily on their senses and intuition, and to constantly scan the environment for cues that they're heading in the right direction. While the consequences differ, it's not unlike the challenges of working in an organization where crucial information is lacking about what success looks like, how performance is measured and evaluated, and what's required to advance.?

Recently, much of my client work has focused on helping organizations to create clarity and increase transparency through job architecture, career framework design, and competency modeling. Those of us who've worked in organizations that lacked clarity on job expectations, the skills and experiences required to advance, and a roadmap for professional development, know the consequences, while less serious than actually "flying blind", are real and significant. Pilots rely on instruments to provide accurate information about an aircraft's performance and, without these data, flights are considerably more unpredictable and harder to navigate. Similarly, the absence of clear performance criteria in organizations makes it difficult for employees to gauge their progress and take actions to improve when necessary. And, just as pilots without instruments have limited navigational?beacons to guide their flight path, organizations without clear criteria for success offer sparse information to employees on opportunities for career progression. Without a clear job architecture and career framework, employees may be uncertain about the skills, experiences, or performance metrics that are valued and rewarded within their organization, making it challenging to navigate and chart a growth path.

If you work in an organization that has yet to introduce job architecture and career framework instrumentation, fear not. There are several actions you can take to increase your understanding of performance criteria and opportunities for career progression:

• Seek Clarity: Openly communicate with your manager or mentors to gain a better understanding of your organization's expectations and criteria for advancement.
• Define Personal Goals: Clearly define your personal career goals and aspirations to help guide decision-making and focus efforts on areas that align with those goals.
• Gather Feedback: Actively seek feedback from your manager and co-workers to gain insights into your strengths, areas for improvement, and potential opportunities for advancement.
• Never Stop Learning: Invest in developing a broad range of skills and staying up-to-date on business and industry trends.
• Own Your Career: Take ownership of your career development, be proactive in seeking opportunities, and self-advocate when see?opportunities that align with your personal and professional goals.