The COVID-19 pandemic has killed so many, frightened all of us, and radically disrupted our world. Many have lost their jobs and many will worry for a long time to come that their jobs are in jeopardy. How do you make sure YOU are indispensable at work?
For decades now, I’ve been studying the people I call “go-to” people: those most valued most consistently over time by their bosses and colleagues. These go-to people are the ones you want to model yourself on—in the best of times and especially in the worst of times.
Now more than ever, it will take extra savvy and skill to manage yourself, your many work relationships, and all the competing demands on your time and talent:
- If ever there was a time to adopt a true service mindset, this is it. The good news is that the more you serve others—by seeking to add value in every interaction—the more they want to build you up and help you out, too.
- People are more likely to work things out with you, or take your word on something, when you’re known for being aligned with the chain of command and you have a track record of making the right decisions.
- When you can get things done very well, very fast for people, those people will keep coming back to you.
- Connection with people is the key. In the uncertainty of the post-pandemic world, people will be our anchors. Our best working relationships with the best people will be a source of strength and security. Be a go-to person and build up your network of go-to people you know you can rely on. Invest in each other with intention.
Bruce Tulgan is the best-selling author of “It’s Okay to Be the Boss” and the CEO of RainmakerThinking, the management research, consulting, and training firm he founded in 1993. All of his work is based on 27 years of intensive workplace interviews and has been featured in thousands of news stories around the world. His newest book, “The Art of Being Indispensable at Work: Win Influence, Beat Overcommitment, and Get the Right Things Done” (Harvard Business Review Press) will be available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all major booksellers on July 21, 2020. You can follow him on Twitter @BruceTulgan or visit his Website at: rainmakerthinking.com.
