Let’s face the facts and be honest: Many of our actions in our jobs are based on the basic survival instinct. Whether we admit this or not is perhaps a different story…
Professionally, we call this maintaining “job security” or perhaps we just call it “doing what we need to do.”
And sure, there’s a fine line of doing what’s right and what’s excellent, especially in ministry, but I’ve discovered that there are a lot of people that have ended up in ministry because they have nothing else better to do.
Yup. I said it. Ouch.
But then there’s the crazy-opposite side of things where you go overboard and attempt in some of the strangest ways to become ‘indespensable’ to the organization. This is definitely more strange when you do it through manipulation and guile, like this San Francisco IT Admin who withheld passwords.
I think one should become ‘indespensable’ because of the quality of their work not because they have the ‘keys to the kingdom.’
And, in fact, one of the best pieces of advice ever given to me was to remember this:
John, God doesn’t need your web development. There are more than enough people qualified to do your job.
Again, ouch. But it’s true.
God’s more interested in our character and loyalty to Him than any organization or organizational standing. It’s dangerous to become indispensable for the wrong reasons; in fact, it’s dangerous to ever believe that you can actually become indispensable in the economy of God.
Bill says
I heard it said once, “Don’t be irreplaceable, because you will never be promoted”.
Tom S. says
I agree with all of this.
If anyone wants another resource to stretch your ideas of how to be indispensable (in a good way), then check out Seth Godin’s book, Linchpin. I’m reading it now and it’s a great read.
Andy Darnell says
So very true.
Vanity of vanities. It is all vanity.
PhillipGibb says
good thoughts,
and it’s not good being the opposite, do you know of the The Brillant Paula Bean: http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Classic-WTF-The-Brillant-Paula-Bean.aspx
Jason Terhorst says
I’m surprised that you didn’t mention the book “Linchpin” by Seth Godin. It’s good to be a linchpin in the secular world, to protect yourself from being tossed aside in outsourcing. But in ministry, we want to focus on what’s good for the church – and just like linchpins are harmful for companies, they’re harmful for the church.
My old home church, due to “lack of [willing] volunteers”, had to hire/pay people for a few positions in worship ministries. It’s beneficial to the church for individuals to be trained by current leaders to fill that position in the future. But someone who is being paid for that position certainly doesn’t want to train other members in their tasks, due to the risk that they could be replaced. I’ve even been pushed out of volunteer positions by paid staffers of the church.
What can we do in cases like that?
Martin Hathaway says
I also thought of Linchpin while reading the blog post.
However, your argument tells me that you either haven’t read the book, or have misunderstood Seth’s central message. Authentic linchpins are immensely valuable; for churches and businesses alike.
I suggest you go read, or re-read, his book.
BenJPickett says
I’ve discovered something that works really well in this area. Document everything you do, and plan your projects with an ultimate goal of letting the company run without you whether it be someone else in your position, or an outsourced firm. This builds an excellent relationship, makes you more valuable and makes the company excited for you and your career.
You never want to get so comfortable that you feel like you are irreplaceable because that means your stuck and your ability to grow, in both knowledge and spirit, is also stuck. In the same manner, you never want to do work that makes you irreplaceable because no matter what you did, there is someone who can undo it and the dishonesty that typically accompanies that work ethic will follow you around.
Stuart says
I forget the name now but we had a visit from a chap who calls himself “the pastors pastor”. Anyway, he taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten about gifts or talents (whatever they are) …
He said (holding a disposable plastic cup filled with water) “Imagine your gifting is the water in this plastic cup. Then imagine you try to keep hold off it when God or someone else asks for it …What happens?” At which point he quickly closes his fingers round the cup, crushing it and the water flies out and leaks out.
The illustration goes on for a bit but the basic principle I learnt was that we always need to hold our gifts, talents, positions, etc with an open hand. In fact after that visit I made it a point that whatever role I had in the church I offered back to God and my pastor on an annual basis – I took the stress away from them if they needed to remove me.