3 Unconventional Positions – UnconventionalEXPERTS

UnconventionalEXPERTS.com

An Employee Workshop for Aspiring Experts

Unconventional Workshop 3

Unconventional Positions

Some work is structured, repetitive, task-oriented and process-driven.
Other work is unstructured, complex, creativity-driven, strategy-dependent and project-oriented.

Humans like to divide people into categories
For better or worse, we divide things into categories to make them easier to understand. One rudimentary division is the separation of workers into two categories; white collar and blue collar.

White collar – these are workers who do not need to use their hands to function, with the exception of smart phones, tablets, computers and specialized automated equipment. Professionals, managers and administrative workers are common examples of white collar workers.

Blue collar – these are workers who primarily use their hands to directly or indirectly manipulate objects. To do so, they use tools, machinery and their bare hands. Skilled trades workers, semi-skilled workers and unskilled laborers typically fall into the category of blue collar workers.

White collar and blue collar designations have been used a lot over the years in association with workforce changes that were driven by computer technology and automation. As computerization and automation removed many blue collar jobs, white collar jobs were added. Offshoring and outsourcing practices have an association with the blue collar designation, as many blue collar jobs were moved overseas.

For general industry and global perspectives, white collar and blue collar designations might make sense. At a company or worker level, they are a gross oversimplification, as they do not take into account the complexity of the work that is being performed or the work that needs to be done. For the purpose of this website, we will ignore white collar and blue collar designations and use four position types that revolve around necessary skills needed within any organization. The yellow boxes below represent these four position types. They are shown from the perspective of job positions rather than worker skills, for better understanding.

Position type 1

Unskilled to semi-skilled (non-expert) positions:
• Structured
• Repetitive
• Task-oriented
• Company-process-driven
Within these roles, the average person, without advanced training, can learn and become fully functional within a relatively short period of time. For the most part, these positions are repetitive. Where change is present, it will be manageable change, within the context of the roles. There is not a lot of formal governance from government agencies or educational institutions to manage the requirements for these roles, however, there are strong safety requirements from both government and labor organizations. Positions that typically fit into this group are food preparation, cashier, clerk, administrative, delivery, janitorial and assembly line positions.

It is important to note that the people who work within these roles are among the most conscientious and hardest workers. Their contributions are extremely important to the organizations that employ them and the economy as a whole.

Position type 2

Traditional Institution-Guided Expert-level positions:
These are historically established roles, best represented by professional-level positions and skilled trades. For these roles, there is a high-level of formal governance through government agencies, colleges, universities, trade schools, trade unions, apprenticeship programs, accreditation bodies and certification or licensing organizations.

• Professional positions that most obviously fit into this group are CPA, engineer, doctor and lawyer positions.
• Less specific expert-level positions might be included within blanket titles: Accounting professional, technical professional, medical professional, marketing professional, HR professional, place-college-degree-here professional.
• All skilled trades positions fit into this group: Electrician, plumber, pipefitter, ironworker, machinist, maintenance mechanic, carpenter, etc…
• Many government and industry regulated sales positions fit into this group: Insurance agent, real estate agent and financial advisor positions are just a few examples.

Because these positions have a rich history, they are more measurable and predictable. The skills are very transferable and achievements can usually be measured against industry standards.

Position type 3

Leadership expert positions:
These are roles that are held by supervisors, managers, directors, VPs, Presidents and CxOs.

Company leadership, hiring managers, HR professionals and corporate trainers are encouraged to use the information within this website to help hire and develop experts, aspiring experts and potential experts.

Position type 4

Unconventional positions:
• Unstructured
• Complex
• Creativity-driven
• Strategy-dependent
• Project-oriented
• Positions that do not fit into groups #1, #2 or #3
• Positions that fit into groups #1, #2 or #3, however, company leadership assigns them to this group as part of a greater strategy

Group #4 is a focal point for these workshops. For these positions, it will be easier to look at the most desirable attributes an employee might have, rather than the definition of the roles themselves. See below.

Group #4 can also describe any position that can expand beyond traditional parameters when filled with a skilled worker who has the ability to:

• Be curious
• Move quickly to activity
• Gain relevant information
• Use the internet as a tool
• Discover possibilities
• Strategize
• Commit to large projects
• Self-train
• Self-learn
• Self-start
• Create ideas
• Realize ideas
• Test ideas
• Recognize failure as part of the work-process
• Use failure as a platform for new and better ideas
• Work within unstructured environments
• Adapt to complex situations
• Invent
• Be flexible
• Work within environments that have limited guidance or processes
• Create an individual work-process where company-process does not exist
• Overcome obstacles
• Change directions
• Repeat success
• Achieve
• Master

How can four groups help?
The above groups separate expert-level positions and non-expert-level positions. This is something that the white collar, blue collar designations do not accomplish. Furthermore, they include the type of work that needs to be completed, from four different perspectives. Group #4, unconventional positions, is unique because it covers expert-level work that is not typically completed by professionals, skilled trades workers or leadership experts.

Possible?
On this page, we have created a group for unconventional positions and made a list of abilities that can drive such positions. At first glance, this may seem far-fetched, however, most people who study these four groups should be able to name at least one expert whom they know, personally or professionally, who has advanced their career beyond a group #1, #2 or #3 position and achieved success within a group #4 unconventional position.

Unconventional positions – when there is a tough nut to crack
Almost all sales positions are unconventional positions, including traditional institution-guided expert sales positions that fit into group #2. This is because there is a constant need to overcome obstacles. Salespeople are always making adjustments to their strategy. If a specific strategy works, without hesitation, they will try it again. If the results are predictable, measurable and repeatable, they have cracked the tough nut. They will standardize on a method and continue to use it until it stops working.

Sales departments have all types of obstacles, but there is one huge built-in obstacle that shadows all others. This is the sales gap between sales goals and actual sales. Most of the small obstacles within a sales department will fall under this huge umbrella and sales departments that constantly overcome small obstacles have a better chance of hitting their sales goals.

All departments within an organization have complex obstacles. They may or may not be obvious, but they exist. Facing complex obstacles usually requires unstructured, complex, creativity-driven, strategy-dependent, project-oriented work. A disconnect can happen when complex obstacles are faced with structured, repetitive, task-oriented, company-process-driven work. Understanding the differences is key to success.

In the age of the internet, a tough nut to crack will often require expertise with some type of technology:
• Apps and software packages designed to increase efficiency.
• Automation technology designed to aid repetitive functions.
• Search engines to find relevant information.
• Industry online forums and other forms of social media to share information.
• Video conferencing and unified communications to improve communication.
• Online training resources to facilitate training.
• Website publishing tools to share information.

Want to discover an unconventional position? Look for a tough nut to crack.

Let’s define the word unstructured
When looking at a position, the word unstructured can mean a number of things. Within these workshops, the definition is fairly simple. If a position is structured, it has operational company-processes fully implemented, to guide all workflow. If it is unstructured, there are wide gaps in the operational company-process and the person who fills the position will need to use an individual work-process of their own creation to fill those gaps.

Individual work-process will be explained thoroughly within these workshops.

Unstructured work in motion

A software salesperson answers the phone, an angry customer is on the other end. The software that the salesperson sold the customer is not compatible with all types of files. Although, the operational company-process has salespeople redirecting customer issues to the technical support department, this salesperson addresses the matter differently. The salesperson calms the customer down and sells the customer an inexpensive software plug-in that allows compatibility with all files.

What about AI robots? Won’t they eventually affect the way in which these groups are divided? Yes, AI will replace many unskilled and semi-skilled positions. Fortunately, there is time to make appropriate changes.

New technologies and unconventional positions

When a new technology makes an impactful debut, it is certain that traditional institution-guided experts will eventually follow and find mastery. Unfortunately, the institution takes time and experts aren’t built in a day. It is not unusual to see new technologies fall into unconventional positions.

When does a conventional position become unconventional?

1) Unconventional positions explore opportunities
sometimes there are opportunities within a position that are not being explored. Perhaps a semi-skilled worker was not trained to go in a certain direction, so they chose not to. Maybe a traditional institution-guided business professional is comfortable and does not want to stray from the core guidelines of their established practice. After all, we’re not talking about work that needs to be done; only exploration beyond the requirements of the original position. Sometimes exploration falls into unconventional positions.

2) Unconventional positions overcome obstacles
Sometimes there are complex obstacles that do not come with instructions. Workers can overcome obstacles; it is expected. However, what if the obstacle is unique? What if no one within the organization has seen it before? What if the obstacle comes from a thousand miles away from the original job description, but lands dead center? Unconventional obstacles fall into unconventional positions.

3) Unconventional positions fill voids
Sometimes within an organization, there is a need that cannot be filled by traditional means. The organization cannot simply create a work assignment or hire someone with experience filling the void. Miscellaneous work falls into unconventional positions.

4) To be announced
Sometimes unconventional means TBA, as there has not yet been a new discovery. If a new discovery does not fit into a traditional position, it will fall into an unconventional position.

From the perspective of workers
The four position types above are shown from the perspective of job positions. Below, we will show the same groups from the perspective of workers.

Position type 1 workers

Unskilled to semi-skilled (non-expert) workers:
UnconventionalEXPERT.com initiatives include efforts to:
1) Find workers who reside within position type 1 roles and want to explore the possibilities of expert-level contributions.
2) Explore the characteristics and individual work-process of Unconventional Experts, to help in the development of expert-level skills.
3) Stimulate ideas for ways in which non-expert workers can expand their careers through expert-level work.

Can a worker within a position type 1 role transform their position into an unconventional position? Of course, workers are expected to complete the work that they are assigned, within their given position. If there is the potential for unstructured, complex, creativity-driven, strategy dependent, project-oriented work that will benefit the company, and the work performs above and beyond the requirements of the position, it can be possible to transform a type 1 position to an unconventional position. The expansion of one’s position should always be done with a preceding plan, cooperation from leadership and advisement from leadership along the way. Becoming an Unconventional Expert is not about going rogue. The starting point is taking on more responsibility than assigned.

Position type 2 workers

Traditional institution-guided experts:
UnconventionalEXPERTS.com does not in any way intend to detract from traditional institution-guided expert-level work. The strongest recommendation is to start one’s career pursuits with the educational momentum of the traditional institutions. If one is in a career that is supported by traditional and established ways of thinking, UnconventionalEXPERTS.com provides unconventional perspectives and encourages additional avenues of contribution.

Position type 3 workers

Leadership experts:
Company leadership, hiring managers, HR professionals and corporate trainers are encouraged to use UnconventionalEXPERTS.com for meetings and trainings, when using the Culture of Experts program; found at CultureOfExperts.com.

Since leadership experts can also be Unconvetional Experts, UnconvetionalEXPERTS.com provides unconventional perspectives and encourages additional avenues of contribution.

Position type 4 workers

Unconventional Experts:
UnconventionalEXPERTS.com is entirely dedicated to Unconventional Experts and unconventional positions.

Workshop 3 questions:

1) Name a specific position within your organization that might be considered an unconventional position, fitting into group #4?

2) Adding to the above answer, include specific tasks that would be:
• Less structured and more unstructured?
• Less repetitive and more complex?
• Less task-oriented and more creativity-driven?
• Require an individual work-process to fill voids in the operational company-process?

3) Within your personal or professional relationships, name one expert whom you know who has advanced their career beyond a group #1, #2 or #3 position and achieved success within a group #4 unconventional position?