Core and Choice at Work

This simple model can be really useful for managers, individuals, and teams in making better sense of the task, and how to approach it.

The Core of the job describes the core purpose, tasks and duties that are central to the job, often captured in job description. They are the must do’s of work. Managers can legitimately challenge the worker if they do not perform them to the required / agreed standards.Managers and workers need a shared understanding of core tasks, and expected standards.

Related to the Core are the Constraints at work, the must not do's, again often captured in job description.

In between the Core and Constraints is the area of Choice. Here are the aspects of the job that rely on ‘goodwill’, or relate to personal style, where the worker has choice.Workers may operate from an unspoken psychological ‘deal’ -

“I’ll work beyond my core if .....(I get what is important to me)”.

Different people are motivated to work beyond their core by different things.

Good management involves:-

• At Core:being clear about the core of job, setting and clarifying expected standards, and monitoring performance against standards
• Constraints: being clear about the constraints of job, and the behaviours that breach the constraints.
• In Choice:managing others in a way that encourages performance beyond the core.