You better be replaceable
Originally published at jimcanterucci.com
You’re irreplaceable!
Uh, Oh!
You’re also stuck!
Your Career Advancement
Let’s talk about your career as a leader for a moment. It’s always best to be moving forward, whether we’re talking about within your current position or a future one. To do big things leaders must go wide but deep. Scope must increase but not at the expense of doing the right things and building a foundational legacy at every stop.
Great leaders never move forward without leaving their current spot in great shape.
We all know those corporate climbers that think short-term and solely of moving forward while discarding those they lead. Considering people as stepping stones does not make for great leadership. Those climbers tend to get pulled over somewhere down the road. Admit it. You’ve enjoyed seeing the reckless driver that cuts you off on the highway parked in front of the highway patrol lights on the side of the road.
Being Replaceable
Always be growing. How are you stretching yourself? What’s next in your development? How can you use your current situation to develop those skills? When you get a glimpse of a leadership skill at the next level up, how do you bring that skill to where you are? How does it apply?
Always be teaching. If you’re constantly developing, you will outgrow activities. These are activities that you use to develop others. Think in terms of developing careers for the people on your team. This pays dividends in so many ways. People and capabilities grow. You are freed up. See The Leader as Teacher.
Always be leaving. Groom your replacement. Work toward getting someone prepared to take over immediately. If you’re not ready to leave, that resource can move into a leadership position somewhere else within the organization. Spread the wealth. But always be ready to leave with someone prepared to take over.
Be replaceable. With this as a goal you tend to make the right leadership choices.
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