Signs the Scope of Your Job Is Too Large

Managers are adept at juggling responsibilities, whether it’s working with direct reports, leading project strategy, or representing their team in leadership meetings. The demands of a manager role can be varied and vast, and managers can often feel the scope of their role begin to slip. Suddenly they are stressed, overbooked, and feeling like there is no relief in sight.

But what to do? The scope of a manager can be hard to define, but there are ways you can assess your situation and advocate for what you need.

Assessing the Scope of Your Manager Role

Before you even begin to think about what you are doing day to day, read your job description. Consider what the requirements for your manager role are and then start to see where you are actually spending your time. Track your activities over a week or a month and, when you are finished, objectively compare your time to the definition of your role.

Consider how you would answer these questions:

Are your responsibilities different from your role’s job description? Just comparing your responsibilities to your job description may be enough to help you determine the scope of your manager role has become untenable. It’s also a good idea to look at the description for the role above yours to see if you are out of scope or simply performing above your current role.

Are you struggling with prioritization because everything is urgent? Managers should be in tune with the company’s long-term goals, and you should be able to align your team’s work against those goals. You should have time to explore strategy and think long-term about your team and your organization. If you are constantly on alert for urgent concerns and dealing with short-term emergencies, you will find it challenging to plan for the future success of your organization.

Do you feel like you can’t delegate work to your team? Your team should be prepared to take some of the work off your plate. If you don’t have people reporting to you who can handle your work when you are overloaded, you may need to consider your team structure and the kind of work for which you are personally responsible.

Is your life all work all the time? Do you stop working when the office closes? Are you using your PTO? Do you work on holidays and weekends? Many jobs require extra time at the office, and there will always be deadlines that require you to put in the extra hours. But these should be the exceptions, not the rule. If your workload has become unsustainable during your regular business hours, you may be doing too much.

Is your team’s performance slipping? Is yours? Performance metrics allow you to assess your success toward your goals, and they also let you see how your team is faring. If you and members of your team are not meeting expectations, you may be overworking yourself at the expense of your entire team’s success.

What to Do if the Scope of Your Manager Job Is Too Large

If you feel your manager duties have gotten out of scope, the first step is to speak to your manager or human resources representative. They can work with you to help redefine your role and your path forward. If you are working toward a new role or promotion, it’s important to identify your goals with your manager so you can stay on track. It’s important to set the guardrails for the scope of your current role so that you can see where you have opportunities for growth toward your next role.

There are also steps you can take immediately to help rein in the scope of your job:

Prioritize

Consider the goals of the business and your department, and then think about how your team’s goals roll up into those larger initiatives. Prioritize work that will support the growth and stability of the business. Then consider which work will best help your team and the professional development goals of your direct reports. Once you have done this, you should have a better view of the work that is more important. Everything else can be considered less urgent.

Delegate

Think about the talent on your team and look at the goals and potential of your direct reports. Where can they take on more? What work on your plate can be reassigned as stretch projects for them? Work that is causing stress for you may be valuable for the growth and development of one of your more junior team members. Consider what you can give to them to free up your schedule and add value to theirs.

Balance

If your job is out of scope, you are probably having trouble finding the right work-life balance. Spending too much energy and emotion on work can lead to burnout, which will only make you feel worse about work. Set boundaries for yourself and communicate those boundaries to your team and supervisor. Protect your personal time outside of work and shut down completely when you need to. As long as your team knows where you are, you should be able to step away when needed.

Most importantly, check in with yourself frequently. If you regularly assess your workload and responsibilities against expectations for your manager role, you can work to catch scope overreach before it causes you stress and anxiety. A key leadership skill is being able to manage your own time and workload effectively; be aware of when your role is starting to overwhelm you so you can focus on your team, your development, and your future success.

Grow Your Leadership Skills With a Doctor of Business Administration

Focused on research and business theory, the online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program at Walden University is for leaders who are ready to advance into senior-level roles within their organization. Walden’s DBA degree program is focused on the exploration of business leadership for the greater good, with coursework that examines the role and responsibility of mindful business practices.

What Is the Difference Between an MBA and a DBA?

As you consider online business degree programs, you may be thinking about the MBA and the DBA.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a master’s-level business program focused on leadership skills. As an MBA student, you can explore your personal leadership style as you learn key areas of business practice, including finance, management, and marketing.

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a terminal business degree that focuses on the latest business theory and research. As an online DBA student at Walden, you will complete a capstone project in which you explore and present a solution for a real-world challenge affecting 21st-century businesses.

Both MBA and DBA programs are good choices for leaders who want to take the next step in their careers and boost their marketability.

Earning Your Business Degree Online at Walden

Walden has been a leader in distance education for more than 50 years, and our online business programs are designed for working adults ready to advance their career knowledge. All Walden business programs, including the online DBA program, feature specializations that allow you to complete coursework relevant to your professional development and personal interests.

If you are a professional who is ready to propel your career to the next level, learn more about how an online MBA or DBA from Walden can help you reach your goals.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

Walden’s BS in Business Administration (BSBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and PhD in Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.