The Job-To-Be-Done Theory

I'm three years out of college, and here I thought studying theories was far behind me. Curse of a Communications major, I suppose. Over the summer my book club at work has been reading "How Will You Measure Your Life", a book based on Clayton Christensen's 2010 Harvard Business School commencement speech about finding meaning and happiness in life.

One section of the book stuck out to me in particular. Christensen argues (and I agree) that there is much more to life than your career. But when you're starting out, it can be darn easy to make your life all about your career. Especially if you don't have a spouse and children. I catch myself thinking all the time about how, at this point in my life, I have more free time than I will ever have. I have zero life-consuming commitments outside of work. So while it can be easy to go full throttle in my career, it's important to figure out what brings me happiness during this time, so I can start carrying it through the rest of my twenties and into my thirties and beyond.

"Work can bring you a sense of fulfillment -- but it pales in comparison to the enduring happiness you can find in the intimate relationships that you cultivate with your family and close friends." 

In the relationships section of the book, Christensen talks about the "job-to-be-done" theory, how we are all hired to do a job in each relationship in our life. In order to build, improve or maintain a relationship, you must first identify the "job" you are performing for that person, and adjust your behavior accordingly. For instance, I know the job I've been hired to do at work, but what "job" are my coworkers asking of me? Do they have a need to interact with a positive, friendly person during the workday, someone who is efficient and immune to office drama? Or maybe they need someone to vent to about a challenging project or someone to crack jokes with over happy hour cocktails. Once I identify that need, it's easier for me to build a valuable professional relationship.

"If you work to understand what job you are being hired to do, both professionally and in your personal life, the payoff will be enormous." 

What's harder is figuring out the "job" I'm expected to do for the people in my personal life. The "job" my sister may require of me, for example, is to be a listening ear in times of family stress, or to offer advice on navigating post-grad life. In turn, I look to her to be the sounding board for my wackiest stories and to be my most-trusted shopping companion (seriously, she's brutally honest).

The danger is, it's easy to make assumptions about the job you're being asked to do, and in doing so "reap frustration and confusion in our search for happiness in that relationship," according to Christensen. That's why it's important to have conversations with the people in your life about their expectations. Or asking yourself: "What job does [person] need me to do?"

To sum it all up, relationships require give and take, and they run much more smoothly when you understand the job people are expecting of you. And once you know, you one step closer to cultivating a relationship that will bring you enduring happiness.

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