The Growth of Hidden Job Duties

Usually in an annual performance evaluation session with the boss, you discuss how you are fulfilling your job duties.

But what is often missing from these formal evaluations is all the other stuff you do every day. The stuff that really determines your success or failure in a position.

These are the unassigned duties that fall into your lap from the day you first accept a job, the so-called "hidden" job duties that may lead to a promotion -- or termination.

Has your boss recently talked about everyone being "more innovative" or "more collaborative"? If so, how do you fulfill those expectations successfully?

Those are the directives that add a lot of stress for a worker who is trying to figure out how to do her regular duties every day while also finding time to do the other stuff. For example, she may understand that in order to be more collaborative, she needs to communicate more with others and spend time networking with those in other departments. Or, she may understand that in order to be more innovative, she's going to have to find "thinking time" to trigger more creative thinking.

These hidden job duties often require a lot more time and effort than bosses or organizations may realize. That's why there needs to be a clearer directive on how to support such "hidden" duties.

For example, an introverted employee may need guidance from the boss on how he can communicate effectively with others when in collaborative settings, or an inexperienced employee may need some training about how to generate innovative ideas.

The bottom line is that if leaders assign hidden job duties, then they're going to have to do a much better job of preparing and supporting employees.