Action Verbs

Action verbs are key to developing a clear and effective position description. This comprehensive list was designed to assist managers with finding the strongest and most descriptive words to use in a PD. The verbs are grouped together by broad categories and followed by some common working definitions to provide consistency in interpreting key verbs within the system.

Administrative Action Verbs

• Acquire – Come into possession or control of an item or items

• Advise – Offer an informed opinion or give specialized information to others

• Adapt – Modify or change to fit specific or new situations

• Administer – Oversee the operational details of a process or program and the execution of program goals

• Aid – Provide what is useful or necessary for achieving an end

• Allocate – Assign or apportion a resource for a specific reason

• Analyze – Identify the elements of and critically examine and relate elements to each other or separately or in relation to the whole

• Ascertain – Find out or make certain

• Assess – Determine the rate, amount, or value

• Assign – Specify tasks to be performed by others

• Arrange – Make preparations for, to plan

• Audit – Methodically examine or review a financial situation or process

• Authorize – Approve, usually conveys high level of authority

• Communicate – Share or exchange information, news, or ideas

• Compile – Put together information or assembles data in a new form

• Conduct – Organize and carry out an activity

• Consult – Actively consider, seek advice, or request opinion of

• Conserve – Use or manage resources wisely

• Cooperate – Act or work jointly with others to obtain a mutual benefit

• Coordinate – Regulate, adjust or direct the related actions of others in order to attain desired results

• Delegate – Entrust to another person tasks or duties which require exercise of some of the authority of the person originally responsible

  • “Delegate an administrative assistant to represent the department at conferences”

• Determine – Decide by choice of alternatives

• Develop – Disclose, discover, perfect, or unfold a plan or idea, in detail, gradually

• Distribute – Deliver or hand out to several or many

• Ensure – Make certain that something shall occur

• Establish – Institute permanently by enactment or agreement

• Estimate – Forecast future quantities, values, financials, etc., either on the basis of judgment or calculations

• Evaluate – Determine the significance, condition or value of something through careful study or appraisal

• Execute – Put into effect or carry out

• Exercise – To make effective in action

  • “Exercise confidentiality, good judgement, and proactive problem solving”

• Forecast – Predict future events based on specified assumptions

• Formulate – Put into a systemized expression or statement

• Furnish – Provide or equip with what is needed

• Implement – Fulfill an action and carry it out to the point of usage

• Initiate – Set in motion, introduce

• Inquire – Ask or search into

• Inspect – Examine applicable materials to determine quality and suitability for use

• Interpret – Identify and explain the meaning and significance of something

• Investigate – Uncover facts by systematic research, analysis and examination of various sources

• Launch – Set in motion, introduce

• Order – Arrange or command to come to a specific place or decision

• Organize – Set up an administrative structure for; arrange by systematic planning and united effort

• Process – Take materials or actions through a series of pre-determined steps

• Procure – Get possession or obtain by particular care and effort

• Project – Plan, figure, or estimate for the future

• Propose – Develop a recommendation or suggestion for the consideration of others

• Provide Lead Direction – Guide and give work direction; usually involves assigning, prioritizing and reviewing the work of others

• Reconcile – Check, adjust, settle or to make or prove consistent

• Research – Critical investigation of a specific inquiry involving gathering information, reviewing and interpreting information and developing conclusions based on knowledge and facts uncovered

• Resolve – Settle or find a solution to

• Review – Examine and consider facts or results for accuracy, completeness and suitability

• Secure – Succeed in obtaining or achieving

• Solicit – Make a petition or request for services or money

• Triage – Assign degrees of urgency to an object or task

• Troubleshoot – Locate and eliminate the source of a problem in the work flow

• Validate – Ensure something is founded in truth or sound data and reasoning

  Leadership and Management Action Verbs

• Activate – Set up or formally introduce with necessary personnel or equipment, to set in motion

• Advise/Counsel – Offer an informed opinion or give specialized information to others

• Coach – Train by instruction, demonstration and practice; provide performance feedback

• Direct – Govern and have control over work operations, involves establishing goals and objectives

• Encourage – Give help, inspire or pay patronage to

• Expedite – Accelerate the process or progress of a plan or ideas

• Further – Promote or advance

• Guide – Lead, direct, supervise, or influence the training of people

• Implement – Carry out or fulfill by taking action

• Instruct – Teach, demonstrate, or impart knowledge to others

• Manage – Direct, control, plan and organize the operations of an organizational unit; conveys authority for decision making and accountability for results

• Motivate – Provide incentive or drive

• Negotiate – Confer with others to reach agreement

• Oversee – Supervise/manage a functional area or operation without necessarily having people supervisory responsibility

• Protect – Maintain status or integrity of projects, ideas

• Supervise – Personally oversee or control the work of others; possess authority to conduct or effectively recommend certain employment actions

• Train – Teach, demonstrate, or guide the work performance of others