The following are some ways to “become indispensable” according to Dr. Wayne Boss and myself. These concepts were collected by him and later recalled by yours truly. If you classify yourself as an entrepreneur you might (read: will definitely) disagree with many of these points.

Seth Godin asked what it would take to become indispensable. I feel the following are some good places to start:

  • Take the unwanted job. Being an intern I can relate to this. Take on the projects that nobody else wants. Not only will you learn something and become an expert at something that nobody else wanted, you’ll demonstrate your ability to take on new (or undesired) things. This will open up many more doors in the future.
  • Go the extra mile. Make sure you’re always rending more or doing a better job than you’re being paid for. If you don’t exceed expectations then you’re most likely overpaid… and people will notice. Plus, everything above expectations is what creates your true value.
  • Work harder when unsupervised. It’s natural to work less when nobody is there to crack the whip. You should do the opposite though. One of my employers would have to travel for weeks at a time. When he’d come back I’d have a list of things accomplished while he was away. This builds trust and demonstrates your ability to manage yourself (and others). Perhaps this is one trait that makes many entrepreneurs successful.
  • Give credit to the group. There’s no need to boast all your accomplishments. Modesty is your friend. Elway has always pointed to his defensive line for his success. He always said, to some extent, that anyone could do his job if they had a line as great as his.
  • Be aware of your supervisor’s needs. If your supervisor doesn’t want to dance around the details learn to get to the point very quickly. Tools like the FIRO-B assessment really help with this. I’ll introduce a new tool next week that will apply here as well. The point is, know not only what they expect but what they need from you.
  • Make your boss look good. This goes along with the last point. I, again, can relate to this as an intern. If you do a great job which makes your boss looks good, you’re bound to be taken care of. Think about it, you do the research and all the work and find a way for the company to save a million dollars every year. You help your boss, who’s a Director, put together a presentation, he goes to the executives and they’re so impressed that they promote him. to Vice President Who do you think the new VP is going to want in that Director position? Don’t pretend it doesn’t work that way…
  • Handle key client development. If you want to become indispensable, build up your personal balance sheet. If you have the unique skills, if you have the relationships with the big clients, you’re going to be needed. Dr. Boss offered a story about a man who managed accounts for a bank. He was fired and all of his accounts simply moved to his next employer.
  • Become a mentor. You should help at least one person. This means someone beyond your family and friends. If it weren’t for a mentor Scott Adams may not be drawing syndicated cartoons today (Source).
  •  
  • Develop diagnostic skills. Asking the right questions will get you further than thinking you know all the answers. Jim Collins mentioned that Level 5 leaders always ask questions (rather than try to come up with all the answers). This skill is invaluable.
  • Be prepared. Yes, I am a Boy Scout but this motto can be extended: preparation precedes power. How can you become successful without having the victory in mind?
  • Understand the power of little things. CU Boulder’s new football coach, Dan Hawkins appreciated this point. The little things, or details, are what make life what it is. If you want to become indispensable you’ll take care of these details. Don’t underestimate the power of them, either. People crave to feel appreciated; try starting there.
  • Develop relationships of trust. Trust is huge. I’ll write about it some day. For now, take a look at my employer’s Trust Model. When people trust you and rely on your abilities, you become nothing less than indispensible. Remember the bank account manager? His relationships were built on trust. Making your boss look good builds trust. Giving credit for the team builds trust. Don’t underestimate the power of trust.

I could share an infinite number of stories here. I could relate half these points to my position (Executive VP) in Alpha Kappa Psi. I can also go on and on about how these have all applied to my internship (which I’ve only been at for 5 weeks). Dr. Boss mentioned one last thing: “your willingness to learn from those who have been around for a while” is what will separate you from the rest. In other words, listening to him talk about these ideas means avoiding mistakes and problems down the road. Instead of trials and tribulations and trying to learn these things on your own, be willing to listen to those who have been there. Yes kids, this includes your parents. ;-)

[tags]management, indispensable, improvement, career, work, trust[/tags]