I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about that word, “Indispensable.” Of course one of the first things I do when a word starts tickling my brain is to look it up in the dictionary.
“Indispensable: Absolutely necessary, essential or requisite. Incapable of being disregarded or neglected.”
Wow. I belive that indispensable is something that we would all wish for ourselves. We all want to be that key link in the chain, important, absolutely necessary…incapable of being disregarded. But how many of us really commit ourselves to doing the things daily that will make us indispensable.
Sadly, many of us continue to believe that we can act or speak or write (or teach or parent or preach or study) in a mediorcre or average way and be indispensable to those around us. Well, as they say in Oklahoma…that dog just won’t hunt.
I think there are 3 keys to becoming indispensable. If we focus on these three keys every day we can expect to become absolutely necessary to our company, our church, our ministry or organization…even our family.
- Show up. Allen Konigsberg (you may know him by his other name, Woody Allen) once famously said that 80% of life is just showing up. To continue his quote, “…that’s why they don’t accomplish a thing. They don’t do the thing, so once you do it, if you actually write your film script, or write your novel, you are more than halfway towards something good happening.” I’ll continue on my own–if you are consistent to show up on time, ready to go, you are going to outshine most others. Business owners bemoan the amount of unproductive sick days taken by their staffs every year. And who knows the great art and invention trapped inside the heads of thousands simply because they won’t show up and put forth the effort to share those things with the rest of us? Show up and you’ll prove yourself indispensable.
- Work hard. It’s been said that “hard work is its own reward.” At Taconic we have a core value that states, “Do it right the first time.” Do you want yet another cliche? “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” Not only does the extra effort of working hard bring about better results, the extra exertion and effort actually releases endorphins in your body that boosts your mood and lower the rates of depression. The endorphins released also diminsh the perception of pain and act as a sedative, serving to reduce stress. That’s why hard work is it’s own reward. And when you choose to work hard you will be remarkable–you’ll stand out from the crowd and you’ll be indispensable.
- Work smart. Working hard is good. But working smart can be even better. Coming up with the better solution is always good. However, I believe working smart can mean something different. When you bring your own unique “seasoning” to the table, you bring an invaluable resource. No one else has your unique perspective or gifting. You can see things and solve problems in ways no one else can. But you need the courage to ACT! Don’t hide! The more you allow the real YOU to emerge, the more indispensable you become.
You were created as a one off…singular and unique. When you show up, work hard and work smart you become indispensable to those around you. When times get tough, they will be seeing you out instead of laying you off.
Recent Comments