Genius Drop: Design the work behind the title
A new title does not tell a team how the work will change.
On September 22, Xanadu announced that Tara Deakin would become Chief People Officer and that Rebecca Laramée would continue as Senior Vice President of Human Resources. The company described the two leaders as partners in its workforce initiatives.
That is the reported development. It is not evidence that the transition has already produced its intended results.
The useful leadership question is broader than this particular company: when roles change, how clearly do we describe the contribution each person is expected to make?
Discover: distinguish title from contribution
Through a Natural Genius lens, Visionary contribution may help clarify what a new stage requires. Relational contribution may help people discuss changed expectations and preserve working trust. These are possibilities for the work, not assessments of either executive.
A title cannot tell us where a person creates value. We need to understand the actual decisions, relationships and work involved.
Activate: write a three-line role agreement
Choose one role that has recently changed. Ask the people whose work intersects to finish these statements separately:
This role must contribute...
This person can decide...
We need to work together when...
Compare the answers. Resolve one mismatch before adding another responsibility. If nobody knows who can decide, a new title has not yet created clarity.
Thrive: review the agreement in use
After two weeks, review one real decision. Was ownership clear? Did both people have the information and authority they needed? Adjust the agreement based on what happened.
The aim is not a perfect organizational chart. It is a partnership people can actually use.
Give the work as much attention as the title.
Use the free Team Handoff Guide to make contribution, ownership and review explicit:
Discover. Activate. Thrive.
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jason@natgenius.com
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