Job descriptions are often statements of hopes and dreams in a clunky format. In large organisations they are multipurpose with one of the main tasks justifying the position’s location on the org chart and determining a compensation package for the role. By the time the job advert goes out, only a small portion of the original JD remain – a summary of sorts, done by someone who didn’t write the original version.

It’s rare that the people we interview and eventually hire match the all our hopes and dreams. This likely has something to do with hiring humans. However the beauty of humans is our ability to adjust, bring insight, and create together.

As we bring people together to bring ideas to life or change into reality, there is a need to realise, no, expect our ideas to change as well. While the vision may remain, the plan, the ‘how’ will change. If you don’t want it to or it can not, then hire robots not humans.

One of the many side benefits of hiring humans is our ability to talk with other humans, which is essential in change projects. We can listen, tell stories, be empathetic with the other. When we do these things, we build a different type of culture than when we behave like robots.

So while people may not match the hopes and dreams in the JD, when they show up fully and are encouraged to, they always bring more because we are always more than just our role.