There’s something satisfying about being the person everyone turns to. You’re the one who knows how things work. You can answer the difficult question, fix the problem, calm the client, or find the information no one else can locate. Being the “go-to” person feels like proof that you’re valuable.
But what happens when people don’t just value your contribution, they depend on it? That’s when being indispensable can become a problem. Work starts piling up because everything seems to require your involvement. Other people have fewer opportunities to develop their own capabilities. And when you’re ready to move into something bigger, your organization may face an uncomfortable question: Who can take over what you do?
In my latest Globe & Mail column, The Hidden Cost of Being the ‘Go-To’ Person at Work, I explore the important difference between being valuable and being indispensable, and why the latter can quietly become a career trap. I also share practical ways to remain someone your organization values without becoming the bottleneck, from resisting the urge to always be the rescuer to deliberately building capability in the people around you.
Being indispensable may feel like a measure of your value, but over the course of a career, perhaps the better measure is what happens when you’re not there. Could your team continue confidently without you? Where might you be creating dependence without realizing it? And what could you do differently to help someone else become more capable?
What would you add to this conversation? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Merge’s leadership development consultancy has one singular focus – to turn managers into leaders; to help great people become exceptional leaders so that they can turn their people power into real and tangible results. Through her speaking, training, consulting, mentoring and facilitation services, Merge helps leaders in organizations create high-performing workplaces.
Leave a Reply