Episode
How to Manage a Team Member Who Always Says Not My Job
- Published
- Jun 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 527
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Summary
When a team member responds to every request outside their strict role with 'not my job,' it creates friction, slows down the team, and tests your leadership. In this episode of The Manager's Hour, Lucas and Luna explore why high-structure employees hide behind job descriptions and how to reframe ownership without rewriting roles. They break down the three reasons someone clings to 'not my job' — fear of scope creep, a history of being taken advantage of, or a literal reading of their responsibilities — and walk through a concrete playback technique that turns defensiveness into dialogue. Lucas shares a case from a mid-size logistics firm where a warehouse supervisor used this phrase constantly, and how a single conversation about 'zone of responsibility vs. zone of support' changed the team's dynamic. Luna adds research from organizational psychologist Adam Grant on task boundaries versus psychological ownership. If you've ever heard 'that's not in my job description' and felt stuck, this episode gives you the exact language to reframe the conversation. #NotMyJob #ManagingDifficultEmployees #TeamDynamics #LeadershipSkills #Management #PeopleManagement #EmployeeEngagement #RoleClarity #WorkplaceCulture #ScopeCreep #PsychologicalOwnership #TeamBoundaries #ManagerTraining #AdamGrant #FeedbackSkills #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo