How to Become Indispensable and Unreplaceable (Part 2)

The Value Creator Framework

25 min readJul 31, 2024

Outputs of Value Creators:

This is part 2 of a 2-part series on the Value Creators Framework. Part 1 can be found here. An overview of the framework itself is provided below. You can see further details and play with it, here.

In this post, we will focus on the right side of the framework (the outputs).

Perspective

A value creator has perspective, they understand how the world works and have the ability to look past their own perception and see challenges through others viewpoint, which gives them perspective. We will come back to this.

Be-Do-Have Principle

There is a principle many have discovered in life (made famous by Zig Ziglar), that is actually a biblical principle: that you must be before you can do, and you must do before you can have. The problem is that most people try to have something, before they can do what it takes to have it or they try to do something, before they become someone with value to share with others.

I will explain this principle, with the example of a tree. A tree, must be a seed, before it becomes a tree. The seed must come into contact with the soil, and begin to grow downward, into the damp, dark, soil, before it can grow upward. Even the mightiest tree (for example an oak tree) has the deepest roots. Now the work of the roots, called the gravitropic system, grows downward, toward gravity, and (don’t miss this) grows in a non-visible manner, through a difficult environment, pressing through obstacles, until it can gather enough nutrients, to begin to grow upwards.

Now, when that tree, sprouts out of the ground, it can finally start to do the work required to become a tree, which is the trunk and branches. That part of the tree is called the phototropic system and it grows upwards, toward the sun. The tree builds internal structures to deliver the nutrients of the soil upward, to the limbs. Now, the portion of the tree above ground is visible to others but would not be possible, without the deep roots, which came first, and are not visible. All of this must take place, before the tree can have leaves and fruit (or for the oak tree, an acorn). What is contained in the fruit? Seeds, so the process can start all over.

The same is true with all facets of our life: spiritual, health, relationships, and finance. You will need to become who you need to become, in order to do what you need to do, in order to have what you desire to have. As with a tree, when you are becoming a value creator, it will often be in the dark, not visible to others. You will need to press through objections, just like the roots of the mightiest tree. Then, sooner than later, you will sprout upward and start the visible portion of your career or business and others will be amazed with the value you are providing, but it is all because of the work you put in, prior to doing anything for them. Ultimately, you will do the things required to have what you desire.

So far, in part 1 of this paper, we have discussed the inputs of a Value Creator, they are the seeds, the things you must be, if you want to be a value creator. If you are lacking any of those elements, I encourage you to work on the actions provided and become a person with those qualities, before you attempt to do the things outlined in the rest of this paper, to be a value creator. There are no cheat codes, if you skip this step, you will not become a value creator.

Levels of Value

There are four levels of value, you can provide as a value creator (another biblical principle).

Implementation (Physical Labor over time)

The lowest level of value is implementation. This level of value often requires some form of manual labor. Wether a shovel or a keyboard, this level of value will require you to trade your time for money.

There are a few exceptions to this rule, like professional athletes, but this level of value is normally capped at $80k. The field of cybersecurity is one of the exceptions that may allow you to increase your earnings, into the low 6 figures of income. Just realize this, there is a limit to your value at this level (Implementation).

There is a common mis-belief, that “time equals money.” That is not true at all, time is far more valuable than money. I will explain by asking you two simple questions, if you were offered $1M today, but you could not wake up tomorrow, would you take it? Of course not. Also, if you had $1M in the bank, but had a terminal illness, and a cure was found that cost $1M, would you spend it? Of course you would. — Myron Golden

Now, you see that time is much more valuable than money, lets discuss how to break the cycle of trading time for money, by moving up the value ladder.

Unification (Management Skills)

The next step, up the value ladder is unification. This level of value uses the mind, and the talents of others, to leverage their time and labore, to accomplish more than you could have on your own. This requires some form of management. Notice, I did not say leadership, that is different than management, and we will cover that later.

There are certain managerial skills you will need at this level, like time management, budgeting, organizing, sales and persuasion. Sometimes people get sales and persuasion mixed up. Sales is of lesser value and is the ability to get someone to do what you want them to do. A greater level of value is persuasion, where you can get someone to do what they already want to do.

Again, there are exceptions to this rule of thumb, but in general, this level of value may earn you from $40k (a store or factory manager) — $400k (a fortune 500 manager).

Communication (Verbal and Written Skills)

The next step up the value ladder, is communication. Communication is the use of verbal and written skills, to provide value to others, with little to no physical labor. You will see as you go up the value ladder, the type of work changes, and more apparent becomes the disconnect between time and money. In fact, if you want to stop trading time for money, you will need to get to at least this level of value.

This level includes speakers, authors, founding software developers (of their own code), teachers (of their own content), coaches, mentors. Again, there are exceptions, but in general, this level of value earns between $100k — $100M (Public Speakers, Actors, Authors, Founders, Entrepreneurs).

When I was studying for my PhD, a professor said something that stung but was very true: the only successful way out of this program, is to write your way out. I never desired to be a writer, nor did I think I was a good one, up to that point. But when I realized what he said was true, something clicked within me and I set out to get better at writing and communicating my thoughts and that has served me well to this day.

You may be reading this and thinking the same thing, “I don’t like to speak publicly, or write extensively.” If that’s you, that’s ok and I don’t mean to offend you, unless it sparks action in your life, but we need employees too. There is nothing wrong with that, unless you are destined for higher levels of value. If so, then get over it, and work on your communication skills.

Imagination (Thinking Skills)

The highest level of value, is imagination. As we have discussed, in part 1, imagination is the ability see something, from nothing. Some call this vision. Those who reach this level of value, provide the highest level of value to the world and are rewarded as such, by making the most money. This level of value requires the use of your mind and money, to make more money.

Again, there are exceptions to this rule of thumb, but this level of value may earn you from $1M (Entrepreneurs) — $1T (Elon Musk)

All value creators have the potential to reach this level, as they have the ability to innovate and create novel solutions for problems that affect more people. For example, Elon Musk best exhibits this highest level of value creation and has been rewarded greatly for that. He is certainly a great communicator, but there have been better communicators, like Steve Jobs. However, Elon’s gift is that of Imagination. Soon, his net worth will reach $1T. But don’t miss this, Elon is a mortal being, like each of us. If you study the pattern of his success, you will see he is a value creator, albeit a great one. You can be one too.

The question is: have you become the person, to do what is required, to have the benefits of that level of value? If not, the good news is that you can reach higher levels of value, the principles in this paper will work for you, as they have worked for me, if you will apply them.

Know your Role

As we have discussed, levels of value may also be presented in levels of income. Robert Kiyosaki described the four levels of Income in his book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He presented the cashflow quadrant, as shown and adapted here.

As Robert explained, there are four types of income, employee, self-employed, business, and investor. When it comes to gaining income, each of us are in one or many of these roles, so lets take a look at them.

Employee

Most of us start here, where we are trading time for money. This, aligns with the “Implementation” level of value. There is nothing wrong with this level, society needs employees. However, as an employee, you just need to realize your role, to provide the highest levels of value to your employer and their clients.

Self-Employed

The next level of income is self-employed. Many start their own “business” (lower case b as Robert says) and find themselves, self-employed. The name is a misnomer, as this person still has multiple bosses: themself and their clients. They still have a job and if they stop working, the money stops coming in, so they are still trading time for money. Sure, they can make more, but there is a limit to their income, due to the limit on their time. Cyber consultants are an example of this level of income.

This level of income best aligns with the “Unification” level of value. It eventually requires management skills, either for yourself, your client, or others. If you find yourself in this role, great. Be the best value creator you can be, providing the highest levels of value to your clients and they will reward you greatly. Just recognize your role, in the business ecosystem and the role of others.

Business

The next level of income is Business (upper case B, as Robert explains) and has employees and leverages their time and energy for money. The main difference between this level of income and that of self-employed, is leverage. Because you are leveraging others time and effort, your income is not dependent on your time, talent, and energy. The test of a real Business is if it can survive with you taking a month off, and the income keeps rolling in, without you? If not, you are still self-employed.

This level of income will require communication skills and a set of business systems, which aligns with both the “Communication” and “Imagination” levels of value. As the business owner, you will need to recognize your role in the business ecosystem and optimize those systems and persuade others to follow those systems, thereby spending most of your time working on the business, not in the business, to maximize value to your clients and yourself.

Investor

The next level of income is that of an investor. An investor has the highest form of leverage and they spend their time, using their mind and money (“Imagination”), to create business opportunities and leverage other businesses, to make a profit. Again, Investor is the highest level of leverage, and in particular, as a passive investor, it requires little to no time to manage the investment position, once established. An active investor may choose to spend more time, managing the position, but that is their choice and often not necessary.

Know others roles

Now that you know your role, it is important to recognize that others are on their individual journey on the value ladder and levels of income. When you learn how this operates, you will quickly be able to identify each person’s role and empathize with them and better know how to support them, through your curiosity, imagination and creativity, to provide more value in their lives.

This is where perception and perspective come into play. There is a difference between the two. Perception is your individual view of the world, which is highly dependent on the environment and situation, and may be incorrect. Each person has a perception and is often trapped in it. Perspective is the ability to shift your view, to that of another and see the situation from their or multiple people’s point of view at one time. Most people are too wrapped up in their perception of the world, to shift their point of view and gain perspective. — Andrew Bustamante

As a value creator, you will want to prioritize perspective over your perception and train yourself to favor perspective. This is true, whether talking to your employee, your employer, or your client/customer. Each of us have a role, and now as a value creator, you have an advantage, through your shift of perspective, over others that are trapped in their own perception of the situation. So, no matter where you find yourself in terms of income or level of value, just realize where others are positioned and provide them value, helping them get to the next level and they will do the same for you, naturally.

Further, as a value creator, you should desire that your role change overtime, from lower levels of value to higher levels of value and from lower levels of income to higher. Throughout your career, you may choose to move up and down the levels of income, but you should always be striving for higher levels of value. That is the mark of a value creator, it never ends.

You have what you have, because you are doing what you are doing, because you are who you are. If you want more, then change who you are, become a value creator and start providing higher levels of value to others, and you will have more than you can imagine. — Dr. Allen Harper

Obsessed Learner

In order to become a value creator, you will need to become an obsessed learner. The best value creators, are life long learners, and daily seek to learn something.

You have to teach yourself cybersecurity. As harsh as that sounds, the amount of information to consume is too broad for anyone to teach you. I certainly, don’t have the time to teach you all that you need to know. The sooner you learn to teach yourself, the better and further you will go. When I was younger, before age 23 or so, I felt I needed a teacher. In fact, when I was in undergraduate school, I would chase after certain teachers and felt like I could not learn the topic, unless I had a certain professor…

After the age of 23, a switch clicked in my mind and I figured out, with the Internet (which was new then), I could learn any topic, virtually and often literally, over night. When I came to this realization, I felt like I was special, in some way and had a super power… It was only during my studies of my PhD program, that I learned all adults learn to teach themselves. For each person, at some point, they switch from child learning (pedagogy) to adult learning (andragogy), which normally happens…you guessed it, around the age of 23–25. However, some realize this sooner and some later.

Therefore, I implore you, no matter your age, to learn to teach yourself. Develop this super power for yourself. It is quite simply, the most valuable skill you will have, and will be the largest determining factor to the value you are able to create, for others, and the reward you will receive for that value. I am convinced that even a teenager and learn to teach themselves cybersecurity. With all the resources available today, there is no excuse.

You may ask, what should I seek to learn first? I would recommend you learn the basics of cybersecurity, then pursue what you are interested in: plug into your curiosity! Next, find what you are obsessed with, what do you find yourself talking to others about? What channels of content (concerning cyber) do you find yourself binge watching? Tap into that obsession and pursue it until you master the topic, research that obsession from all angles, find new angles to differentiate yourself. Be sure to keep good notes of your learnings. Then find something else you are obsessed with and repeat the process.

Again, if you are a value creator, the learning will never end, but you will find over time, you can group different topics you have mastered into tools in your tool kit, that will allow you to provide higher levels of value to others. The knowledge stacks and actually compounds, like money, which is interesting.

More tips to becoming an obsessed learner:

Set Learning Goals: Decide what you want to learn and set specific goals. This gives you a clear target to aim for.
Create a Learning Schedule: Block out time in your day dedicated to learning. Make it as important as any other appointment.
Use Multiple Resources: Don’t rely on just one source of information. Read books, watch videos, take online courses, and talk to experts.
Apply What You Learn: Try to use new knowledge in real-life situations. This helps reinforce what you’ve learned and shows its practical value.
Teach Others: Share your knowledge with friends or colleagues. Teaching is a powerful way to deepen your understanding.
Stay Curious: Always ask questions and seek to understand more deeply. Curiosity will drive your learning journey.
Reflect Regularly: Take time to think about what you’ve learned and how it connects to what you already know.
Embrace Challenges: When learning gets tough, don’t give up. Overcoming challenges can lead to some of the most rewarding learning experiences.

Study Problems

Eventually, after you build up a base of knowledge, because you are an obsessed learner, you will want to shift to learning about others problems, you will want to become a student of people’s problems.

To do this, look for gaps in cybersecurity (field, employer, client). Here are some good ones, to get you started.

“Defense in Depth” is no longer effective, to keep bad guys out of the network. It is necessary, but insufficient. Why is that?
“Signature based detection” is flawed, attackers keep getting in, why?
Compliance is NOT security. You can be compliant, but not secure, why?
You can spend millions and still get hacked, why?
Cost of cybersecurity is sky-rocketing, what can be one in a more cost effective manner?
Attackers and defenders are after the same thing, the data. Why is it so difficult for defenders to keep attackers away from data, while allowing users to access the data?
What are the technical factors and psychological factors are play and can they be changed to shift the balance in the favor of the defender and user?

These are real problems that the cybersecurity field, employers, and clients are study those problems, come up with creative solutions to these problems. When studying the problems of your employer and clients, seek to understand challenges and limitations of the cybersecurity field (technical, financial, process). The deeper you understand these factors, the better prepared you are to come up with creative solutions.

More tips to study problems within the cybersecurity field:

Identify Common Issues: Start by recognizing the frequent challenges that arise in cybersecurity. This can include everything from phishing attacks to insider threats.
Read Case Studies: Review documented cases of security breaches and successful defenses. Learn from both the failures and successes of others.
Engage with the Community: Join forums, attend conferences, or participate in webinars. Engaging with peers can provide insights into real-world problems.
Analyze Trends: Keep an eye on emerging trends in cyber threats and defense strategies. Understanding where things are heading can help you anticipate future issues.
Practice Critical Thinking: When examining a problem, think about it from multiple angles. Ask yourself what the root cause is and what factors contribute to it.
Collaborate with Others: Team up with colleagues to brainstorm solutions to common cybersecurity challenges. Different perspectives can lead to innovative ideas.
Stay Updated: Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field. Regularly update your knowledge to stay ahead of new threats and technologies.
Experiment and Test: If possible, set up a safe environment to simulate attacks and test defense mechanisms. Hands-on experience is invaluable.

By becoming a student of problems, especially within cybersecurity, you position yourself as a valuable asset. You’ll be able to offer solutions that not only address current issues but also preempt potential future threats. Your proactive approach will demonstrate your commitment to value creation and continuous improvement. Employers and clients love that, alike.

Create Solutions

In order to create valuable solutions to your employer’s or client’s problems, you will need to systemize, automate, and innovate.

Systemize (methodologies matter)

A value creator is able to create order from chaos, they are able to use their empathy and curiosity, to understand the clients problem deep enough to see its components and sub-parts. Then, they are able to leverage their imagination and creativity to organize the parts into a process or system, or methodology, that is more effective and solves the problem at hand.

During this stage, you may need to develop a new methodology, that has not been used before. As a value creator, you are equipped to do that. Don’t be limited to old methods and techniques. Don’t be afraid to break the mold and develop a new, bold method of solving a problem. Along the way, you will fail and your solutions may not work. That is fine, fail fast and get back up and into the game. Never quit trying.

Breakthroughs in cybersecurity often come after midnight — Harper’s law.

Now, the initial process or system may not solve all of the problem, but enough to be seen as valuable in the eyes of the problem owner. You will know you have systemized the solution to a problem, when the solution can be measured, through a set of metrics, and a baseline can be established, for performance.

Automate relentlessly

After the problem is systemized and a baseline of performance is established, it can be automated. Automation is simply the elimination of manual processes, in favor of automatic processes, performed by machines, which don’t need breaks, or don’t take vacations. There should be a demonstrable improvement in performance after a system is automated. Also, when a solution (process or system) is refined and automated, it may be scaled and handle larger capacity.

Innovate — Save: time, money, labor

Now that we have a scalable and automated process, there will still be a some limit to the performance that may be gained, due to the limits in the process, external factors, or technologies involved. At this point, to improve the solution even better, innovation will be required and further imagination will be required, to further improve performance. Innovation is the highest level of creativity and will require wholesale changes in components and processes. Often, innovation will yield dramatic increases in performance and/or reduction in cost, both of which provide increased value to the employer or client.

Build portfolio of solutions

Over time, the solution(s) may be added to a portfolio of solutions, by the value creator. The size of the portfolio will attribute to the reputation and credibility of the value creator. An employee may gain a few solutions in their portfolio, before they become candidates for higher positions, management or they may become a consultant to leverage that portfolio at a greater scale (and value).

Teach Others

When you have created a solution to a problem, you will need to document it, either for yourself, or for others (employers or clients).

If you are dealing with a process, system, or methodology of doing things, then document Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)s that will allow others to perform the steps, without your presence.

Once you have documented the solution, you can offer to present a “Lunch and Learn” event at the company or client, to present the solution and all of it’s steps. It is best to start with the big picture, the problem, the solution, and the value gained (more efficient, revenue gained, cost savings, etc). This will help the others frame what you are delivering and retain the knowledge better.

Next, depending on the situation at the company or client, you could offer to provide a company blog article or social media post, on the new solution and how it solve the problem, and gained value in terms of efficiency, revenue, or cost savings. The company or client may not wish for you to do this, so always seek permission first and be aware of any sensitivities around competitors and ownership of the solution itself.

In certain situations, when you have created and own a solution, you will want to post that on your personal social media channels in order to demonstrate your value to others and attract more opportunities.

Ultimately, you could build a course, on the solution and how it can help others solve their problems and be rewarded handsomely for that value provided to others. Again, you would only do this if you owned the intellectual property of the solution and it would not harm your relationship with your employer or clients.

The point is, even as an employee or consultant, you can demonstrate value at the “Communication” level, showing them even greater value than the solution itself.

Tips to communicate a solution to a problem, to others:

Use Clear Language: When teaching others, make sure to use language that is easy to understand. Avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse your audience.
Create Visual Aids: People often learn better with visuals. Use diagrams, charts, or slides to help explain your solution.
Be Patient: Not everyone will grasp the concept right away. Be ready to explain things multiple times and in different ways.
Encourage Questions: Make it clear that questions are welcome. Answering questions can help clarify any misunderstandings.
Provide Hands-On Experience: If possible, let others try out the solution themselves. Learning by doing is one of the most effective methods.
Follow Up: After your initial teaching session, check back in to see if there are any further questions or if anyone needs additional help.

By sharing your knowledge and solutions, you not only reinforce your own understanding but also empower others to become value creators in their own right. Teaching is a powerful tool that amplifies the impact of your work and contributes to a culture of learning and growth within any organization.

Leadership

Entire books have been written on leadership, but here is an explanation of my leadership style. First, I desire to exhibit a style of servant leadership, which comes from my faith.

I am including Leadership in the Value Creator Framework, because sooner than later, as you exhibit value to your employer or clients, you will find yourself in a leadership role.

As a servant leader, first you have to realize it is not about you as the leader, instead it is about those who follow you. You are not successful, unless they are! A servant leader helps others reach their goals.

There is a big difference between a Leader and a Boss. A leader never needs to remind someone they are the boss, it is apparent in those who follow them. Never aspire to be a Boss, instead, seek opportunities to inspire and lead others.

In the Marines I learned the concept of Micro Leadership. We were taught, even when two are present, one is the leader. If you are the senior Marine, you are the leader, even if the task is taking out the trash. Now, in business, this can also apply, if you are on a team of two and have more experience, then you should assume the role of leader. It will allow you to grow into that role and practice for higher assignments.

A servant leader gives away all credit and takes all the blame. There is nothing more rewarding than to give away credit to your team, it is theirs to start with, and just be happy to be associated with them as a team. This means, practically, to not hesitate to direct compliments from those higher than you in the organization, to your team. Be quick to reward those you lead with awards and other forms of recognition.

On the other hand, take the blame for anything that goes wrong. Never hesitate to take that blame and keep it from reaching your team. The buck stops with you as a servant leader and that comes with the territory, and paycheck.

As a leader, you will find yourself needing to be the change agent in the organization. That is not often a pleasant position to be in, but count it an honor to get behind a decision from higher authority and move out, leading your team in that direction, without ever undercutting that authority.

Model behavior you would like to have in your followers. Most often, your followers will behave one notch lower than you do. So, if you are right on time, they will often be late. If you leave first, don’t think they will stay late, and so on. Set a high but fair standard and model that behavior yourself.

Servant leaders become comfortable having difficult conversations. Be a first responder in your organization, run to fires, and seek out problems proactively and deal with them. I have learned, many times in my career that “bad news does not get better with time.” This is true when you need to go up the chain and take the blame for something and it is also true when you need to deliver bad news to your followers. Tell others quickly, they will respect you for that timely word and not waiting to deliver bad news.

Remember, first impressions are often wrong. This fact has bitten me several times in my career. Often, it is not as bad as you think. For example, it is not a hacker after all, it is not a compromised system we are looking at, it is often a misconfiguration or user mistake. When you gain more experience, as a leader, you will learn to temper what you say, when reporting seemingly bad news up the chain, as you may need to go later and adjust it, which impacts your credibility.

More tips to being a servant leader:

Listen More: A good leader listens to their team. Pay attention to what they say and what they don’t say. Listening helps you understand their needs and concerns.
Empower Your Team: Give your team members the tools, authority, and responsibility they need to succeed. Empowering them builds confidence and fosters growth.
Be Approachable: Make sure your team knows they can come to you with ideas, questions, or problems. An open-door policy encourages communication and trust.
Provide Feedback: Offer constructive feedback regularly. Praise good work and provide guidance on how to improve when necessary.
Lead by Example: Your actions set the tone for the entire team. Always behave in a way that reflects the values and standards of the organization.
Support Growth: Encourage your team to pursue learning and development opportunities. Supporting their growth benefits both the individual and the organization.
Show Appreciation: Recognize and appreciate the hard work and contributions of your team. A simple thank you can go a long way.

By embodying these qualities, you’ll not only be a leader in title but also in action. Your leadership will inspire those around you to strive for excellence and become value creators themselves. Remember, true leadership is about serving others and helping them achieve their best.

Transcend

I saved this section for last, because if you become a value creator and do all I have described in this framework, you will have more opportunities to advance up the value ladder and have even more impact on others. As a value creator, you will be able to have perspective of others roles and even obtain those roles, if you would like to. This could mean getting promoted or starting your own business as a consultant and eventually hiring your own employees. I hope you see the possibilities and value levels I have described here as a continuum that you may transcend upwards, as you desire.

Again, there is nothing wrong with being an employee, or implementor, unless you know you were destined for more. If that is the case, take massive action, using the principles I have outlined for you and put them into practice in your own life.

I encourage you to follow your curiosity and become obsessed with learning and creating new solutions, and see where it takes you. Ultimately you will be promoted, or for many of you, you will fire your boss and start your own business.

I plan to write more about starting your own business in the near future, but for now, just realize, it is the same framework, but from a different perspective and value level.

Learn skills
Solve problems
Create solutions
Teach others
Repeat

This Value Creator Framework has been designed to help you reach higher levels of “Self Fulfillment” in Maslow’s Hierarchy, and obtain your goals in life. If you apply them, you will become a “thought leader” and others will seek your opinion on topics. You will have no problem sharing that information, as you will come to love providing value to others.

Ultimately, it is my desire, that you reach the point where I am at in my life, attempting to send the ladder back down for others. Hopefully, you will have an easier climb than I did, by following my footprints.

Encouragement

Remember, being a value creator isn’t just about what you get out of it. It’s about what you give to others. And the cool part? The more you give, the more you end up receiving in return.

So go out there, use these inputs, create awesome outputs, and be the value creator you were meant to be!

This was part two of two, in this series. Stay tuned for more articles. Until then, get involved in my skool community.

Jump in, ask questions, start to provide value to others, and practice those skills.

Dr. Allen Harper