“More important than the quest for certainty is the quest for clarity” – Francois Gautier, French writer and journalist

Poorly defined roles can create considerable stress for people, and also create tension and conflict in teams. Research clearly shows that teams with role clarity are substantially more successful than teams without.

A wide range of work situations can create role confusion, such as starting a new job or changing positions, organisational change and therefore change in reporting lines, or a change in manager.

Role clarity is more than a job description. The job description is ideally just the starting point.

Factors that help to develop role clarity include:

• Define responsibilities – what are you meant to do?
• Musts vs. wants – what do you have to and need to do? What are the extras or ideals?
• Specify the future outcomes – assume you are doing well in this role, what will it look like in another 6 months, 12 months, 2 years?
• How do you get to the future? What do you need to do? What support will you need?
• How do you go about doing this job? What skills and behaviours are required?
• Accountability – who are you accountable to? How often and in what manner are you expected to check in or report back?

Talk with your manager right away if you are unclear about your role. If you are unsure about how to have the conversation, ask a colleague or another manager you trust for ideas. You can also consult with your HR support person or access your workplace EAP scheme for some support.

Tips for building resilience
The following link provides some tips on how to build resilience to work challenges: Top 10 resilience tips