🧩 The 4R Document

A One-Page System to Create Clarity, Accountability & Performance in Every Role

If your team isn’t crystal clear on what’s expected of them — they’re not set up to succeed.

Confusion slows teams down.
Misaligned expectations lead to resentment.
And vague job descriptions? They leave your people guessing.

The 4R Document solves that.

It’s a one-page position description designed to bring total clarity to every seat in your organization — from entry-level to executive.

---

🧠 What is the 4R Document?

The 4R Document breaks every role into four essential components:

🔹 Role

A short, sharp overview of why this position exists and how it contributes to the mission.

Think: the job’s “north star.”

🔹 Responsibilities

What tasks and duties are actually owned by this role? These are the day-to-day actions that keep things moving.

🔹 Results

What specific outcomes define success? These are measurable, meaningful, and justify the cost of the role.

🔹 Requirements

What skills, experience, and traits are necessary to do this job well? This section sets the bar for hiring and development.

---

🛠 Why It Works

The 4R Document isn’t just a job description. It’s a clarity tool.

✅ Gives employees confidence in what success looks like
✅ Helps managers coach and lead more effectively
✅ Ensures hiring decisions are based on outcomes, not just resumes
✅ Makes performance reviews objective and frictionless
✅ Aligns compensation with results, not activity

---

🧱 How to Build a 4R Document (Pro Tip: Build It Backward)

Start with the Results.
If the results can’t justify the cost of the role, you may not need the role.

Then work backward:
→ What responsibilities lead to those results?
→ What kind of person can own those responsibilities?
→ What’s the big-picture role they’re fulfilling?

---

📦 Where to Use It

• 🔄 Hiring – Write job posts straight from the 4R
• 🧭 Onboarding – Set expectations from day one
• 📈 Performance Reviews – Use it to assess outcomes
• 🔍 Team Audits – Spot gaps or overlaps across roles
• 🧑‍💻 Career Development – Help team members grow into their next position

---

📁 Storage & Versioning Tips

• 4R docs are written for roles, not specific people.
• Store them in a shared folder (Google Drive, Notion, etc.) everyone can access.
• Review and audit at least twice a year to make sure the doc matches reality.
• Always align with the team member before updating the 4R.

---

🧠 Ask These Questions in a 4R Audit:

• Are the results still the right north star for this role?
• Are the responsibilities current, or has the role evolved?
• Does the team member fully understand what’s expected — and agree?

---

🔓 Steal This Framework

Use the 4R Document to get the right people in the right seats — and give them the clarity and direction to do their best work.