
I recently spoke at an event, where part of the agenda included an interview with a CEO and his Executive Assistant about their partnership.
During the discussion, the CEO expressed his frustration about hiring assistants who were brought on for a specific role but then tried to change the nature of that role entirely. Rather than focusing on the tasks they were hired to do, they were immediately looking to expand the boundaries of their role.
I challenged his viewpoint by asking, “But surely, if they are delivering the tasks they were hired to do immaculately, and still had the capacity to take on additional responsibilities and add value, you wouldn’t have a problem with that?”
He graciously agreed.
This highlights an important point: no manager will object to you taking on more responsibility if they can see the clear value it brings to them or the business. And if they can see that you are delivering what you were hired to do first.
Trust is key to expanding your role. Do the basics properly first and then, when proposing new ideas or responsibilities, focus on the benefits it will bring to your manager or the organisation, not just how it will benefit you personally.
Even if they think highly of you, their primary concern is what the benefit will be to them or to the organisation.
Consider how you will measure and communicate the impact of your suggestions—what will the cost savings, increased efficiencies, or other tangible benefits be?
Be clear how taking on greater responsibility and expanding the boundaries of your role will add value and they are far more likely to allow it.