The Need for a Good Job Description

Cathie Leimbach • October 9, 2023

In today's competitive job market, a well-crafted job description is not just a formality; it's a crucial tool for attracting the right talent, ensuring a successful hiring process, communicating expectations to employees, and establishing a reference for performance feedback.


Once you are clear on what you expect employees in a given position to accomplish, prepare an expanded job description which serves as a blueprint for the position. This document will include the position title; the position or name of the supervisor; the positions or names of those whom they will supervise, if any; a brief summary of the roles of this position; the detailed specific expectations; and qualifications required. Ideally, the job description will reference the importance of aligning with the organization’s values which may be stated in the job description or provided in an accompanying document. This expanded job description helps the employee to understand the context in which they are to work as well as the measurable outputs for which they are responsible.


Here's why quality job descriptions are essential:

1.     Attracting the Right Candidates: A clear and detailed job description helps potential candidates understand the job's expectations, ensuring that those who apply are genuinely interested and qualified.

2.     Reducing Turnover: When expectations are clearly communicated from the beginning, employees are more likely to thrive in their roles, leading to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates.

3.     Legal Protection: Job descriptions can serve as legal documents, defining essential job functions and minimizing potential disputes over duties or responsibilities.

4.     Streamlining the Hiring Process: A well-defined job description helps HR professionals and hiring managers identify the most suitable candidates quickly, saving time and resources.

5.     Employee Development: Job descriptions are valuable tools for employee performance evaluations and career development discussions.



In conclusion, good job descriptions are the foundation of successful hiring processes, strong workforce performance, and high employee retention. They provide the basis for clarity, efficiency, and employee satisfaction in today's dynamic job market. Employers who invest time in crafting accurate and informative job descriptions are more likely to find and retain top talent.

How Leadership Growth Drives Business Performance

By Cathie Leimbach • June 17, 2025
Herminia Ibarra’s research offers compelling insight into why leadership development should be viewed as a strategic priority. Her work shows that helping leaders grow isn’t just beneficial for individuals—it significantly improves how organizations operate and perform. Ibarra explores how leadership identity evolves over time. When managers step back from daily tasks and begin thinking and acting more strategically, it creates ripple effects across the organization. Teams become more engaged, decision-making improves, and execution becomes more effective. These shifts enhance productivity, innovation, and retention—key drivers of long-term success. Her research also highlights the value of building strong leadership pipelines. Companies that invest in leaders who are adaptable, self-aware, and skilled at big-picture thinking tend to be more agile and resilient. These organizations are better equipped to respond to change and seize new opportunities. By reframing leadership development as a strategic investment rather than a soft skill, Ibarra shows how it creates measurable improvements in performance across the organization. Growth in leadership capacity leads to smarter decisions, healthier cultures, and stronger overall results. 👉 For a deeper dive into the data, click here to view Insights from Herminia Ibarra’s Research on Leadership Development and its Measurable Impact.

Age and Gender Shape How Employees Want to Be Appreciated

By Cathie Leimbach • June 10, 2025
In today’s evolving workplace, one constant remains: employees want to feel valued. Interestingly, research comparing data from before and after COVID-19 shows that employees' preferred languages of appreciation have remained remarkably consistent over time. However, age and gender differences reveal important nuances leaders shouldn’t ignore. Gender differences are clear. Men more frequently chose Acts of Service as their preferred form of appreciation (26%), while women gravitated toward Words of Affirmation (46%). When asked about their least preferred language, women were more likely to rank Acts of Service at the bottom, while men showed a strong dislike for Tangible Gifts. Age also matters. Employees over 60 overwhelmingly preferred Words of Affirmation (48%), while the youngest generation (under 20) leaned toward Quality Time (33%). These trends suggest that life stage and workplace experience shape what appreciation feels most meaningful.  The takeaway? While core preferences haven't shifted dramatically post-COVID, effective leaders need to understand and respond to individual differences. Avoid blanket strategies and invest in knowing how each team member feels most valued. Personalized appreciation builds stronger teams—across every generation and gender. For further details, see Dr. Paul White’s article on gender differences in appreciation preference.
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