Don’t Be Useful, Be Necessary!

 

During my publishing days, company management once announced that it was reshuffling the editorial hierarchy and adding an editorial director who would oversee all the print and online accounting-centric products. To my delight, the CEO tapped yours truly to fill the newly created post and subsequently asked me if I would like to relinquish my editor-in-chief responsibilities at the flagship magazine and concentrate on the larger picture.

I thought about his offer for less than 10 seconds and responded with a resounding “No!” When I was asked why by my colleagues why I wanted to assume dual responsibility for both the answer was simple. Mid-management posts such as the newly minted edit director were not tied to one specific property and as experience taught me, those were always the first to be jettisoned in the case of layoffs. By additionally keeping my EIC post, I was directly responsible for the main publication and therefore, necessary.

Less than a year later, my fears of a permanent furlough were realized as there was once again a reorganization, and the edit director post was eliminated in favor of some byzantine C-suite lineup which resulted in the loss of five jobs. Had I not opted to fill both positions, I too would have found myself filing for unemployment insurance.

But I was spared because I was necessary due to my continued capacity as editor in chief.

In a similar vent, I recently read somewhere where the executive assistant to Tesla founder Elon Musk once asked for a raise. Musk advised her to take some time off so he could think about it. During that span, Musk ultimately realized that he didn’t need her and subsequently let her go.

In other words, she was not necessary.

There is an old U.S. Army saying that never volunteer for anything. An axiom reinforced by the story of a drill sergeant who, when preparing to take his platoon for a five-mile hike, asked if there were any plumbers in the ranks and if there were they did not have to participate in the march. Several hands immediately went up and instead of a hike, they were ordered to clean the barrack latrines.

I disagree.

The more responsibility you take on whether a member of a CPA firm, publishing executive or restaurant employee, the more NECESSARY you become. Otherwise, the alternative may be waiting until the UI check arrives.