That's Not My Job!

You walk into a store....probably a big box store. You've come to buy some chain for a project you have going on. It takes awhile to find the aisle where the chain is located, but after some hunting, you finally find it. Now you just need someone to measure and cut it.

Since no one is on the chain aisle, you go looking for someone who can help you. You finally find someone several aisles over in the lighting department. You ask them if they can help you.

The response is "That's not my job, but I'll see if we can find someone." You go back to the aisle and wait and wait and wait. No one comes. And so for the next 30 minutes you wander the store, trying to find someone who knows how to measure and cut the chain.

The words "that's not my job" can be a deal breaker when you are approached by someone who needs help. It cuts the person off and makes them feel like they are not worth the effort it will take to resolve what they need.

When someone says "that's not my job" it reflects a bigger issue. It reveals a lack of training and culture of serving. Team members have been trained, whether intentionally or not, that they are to stick with "their area" and not venture out of that zone to help people.

The "that's not my job" is closely linked to telling someone "I don't know"...and then leaving them hanging. Not the best way to make people feel valued.

Let's talk about how to eliminate "that's not my job" in your ministry.

Build your team with people who have a heart to serve others. Put your most friendly, helpful people in your front line roles. Roles such as greeters and check in helpers. You want people who understand that first and foremost their job is to help people.

Let your team know the words "that's not my job" are not to be heard. Train your team to never say those words to people. Instead train them to say, "I'm not sure, but I'll be happy to find out for you."

Help your team realize that while no one owns the guests, everyone does own the moment they are interacting with the guests. Your welcome team is only as strong as its weakest link.

Understand that people will remember how you made them feel above everything else. Did they leave with a smile on their face? Did they feel important and valued?

Cast vision for the impact team members can have. Remind them that guests decide in the first 8 minutes if they are going to return or not. Don't make them spend those 8 minutes wandering around because "it's not the job" of your team members to help them with something.

Empower team members to put people first. They should have the freedom to make decisions that put people before tasks.

What's our job? Above everything else, it's people!