How to Become Irreplaceable at Work
“Darren, you're all replaceable,” I was once told by a very senior executive at a previous corporate job. It was a blunt reality check early in my career. The comment stunned me, but it taught me the importance of not letting others control my career.
I had nabbed 15 minutes on “Bob’s” (Not his real name) busy calendar to talk about the non-profit I started and ran on nights and weekends. He was impressed at our early success and that my fellow employees were volunteering their time outside of the 9 to 5 to give back. Advocates for Technological Opportunity (ATO), which I started with my childhood friend Mark Thylin, was born to teach senior citizens how to use the internet to connect with lifelong friends and family.
I had taught my grandma how to use WebTV (an early email and internet device) to get back in touch with students she taught as a high school teacher and the many remarkable people she and my grandpa had met in 3 stints living abroad in Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. I decided to launch a nonprofit to teach other seniors to use the internet and email given the joy and sense of connection it created for my “Nana'' and “Boppa.”
My goal for the meeting with Bob was simple—carve out a bit of the corporate philanthropy and direct it toward ATO. Unfortunately, I learned early in our chat that they consolidate their gifts to one or two non-profits on the scale of The United Way—all very worthy causes that dwarfed our current size, scale, and brand awareness.
I took the loss early in our conversation, which left time for Bob to diminish the importance of me and my colleagues. I’m not sure what prompted it, but he turned to me, looked into my eyes and said those fateful words—”You know Darren you’re all replaceable.” I don’t recall what happened next as I was shocked that he actually said what he was thinking out loud.
I left the meeting feeling deflated, but over time, I realized he was right—we really all were replaceable. The company had access to hire the best college graduates—kids that were smart, had an unquenchable work ethic, and had impressive interpersonal skills. That “skill triad” made for impressive new hires, but not exactly irreplaceable employees.
So, how would I become irreplaceable? To me, it came down to being the CEO of my own career, constantly learning and growing, and adapting to shifting marketplace demands and trends. Doing so, I thought, would help me avoid being on the receiving end of layoffs driven by recessions, global pandemics, bad decisions, and leadership hubris.
5 Ways to Become Irreplaceable at Work
To become indispensable at work, I started doing 5 things differently.
Be a Dot Connector
Employees who can find the intersections between functions and roles become indispensable sources of value and amplify their impact. Unlock fresh insights by bridging functions and disciplines – mingle with coworkers from other divisions during lunch, inquire how their role intersects with yours, and gain greater context as to how your role fits into the broader organization.
Think Like a CEO
At the end of the day, companies are profit maximizing machines that deliver on a corporate mission (hopefully with an authentic purpose). Stand out from the pack by looking beyond your current “roles and responsibilities” to find ways to help the company win. Channel your inner CEO – think beyond your daily tasks, focus on optimizing company performance, not just your role's output.
Go Off Road with Your Learning
Becoming “irreplaceable” requires constantly growing, learning, and getting better. Go beyond your usual learning boundaries to up your game – if you're a developer, explore product development, marketing, even sales to broaden your knowledge.
Consider What’s Next
Indispensable employees don’t let their skills get stale while constantly seeking ways to stay relevant and adapt to new trends and technologies. Your future job will evolve–stay ahead by studying the trends in adjacent industries and adapting to changing workforce preferences.
Create a Learning Map
Learning can’t be happenstance and something you do when you have time. Set annual aggressive learning goals alongside your regular objectives–invest in books, courses, mentorship, and diverse learning resources to achieve personal and professional growth.
What about you? How can you ensure you don’t become just another “replaceable” cog in a machine? Start by applying one or more of the methods above and see if you can shift from replaceable to indispensable.
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