I’m Irreplaceable

Everyone can relate to an acronym, how about R.E.A.C.H? It relates to a subject every working person has a personal opinion of. That being the degree to which they feel they are replaceable in their job.

In uncertain economic times many of us wonder how replaceable are we. From the low self-esteem end that would be the chronic anticipation for the ‘axe to fall’ to the high self-esteem end where a person feels they in no way could be replaced, no matter any correlating factors.

While self-confidence is a great personality trait, the truth is there has never been a person in any position, in any time, that could not be replaced.  Yes, the assumption of a person in a new position may involve less productivity as the person grapples with learning new tasks and assuming a new set of responsibilities. Keep in mind the previous person experienced the same learning curve. Even in the case where the new person does not perform at the level of the person being replaced or even fail at it; this in itself does not mean that the initial worker could not be replaced. He/She was, it perhaps just wasn’t a good replacement.

So how about we just re-word the bold statement “I could never be replaced” to the more practical “I do my job so well I would be hard to replace with someone that could perform at my level easily”? Not as dramatic for certain but perhaps more to the truth.

Even in quality publications like Investopedia you will still see a nonsense title for a column like “5 Ways To Be Irreplaceable At Work”. Eye catching for sure and that is the point. They want you to believe you are just about to read the magic bullet that will instantly make you irreplaceable, the perfect employee and maybe make you taller too.

But in their hyperbole there is some truth. In this article they describe 5 attributes that most certainly make a person less necessary to be replaced.

R = Results

E = Enthusiasm

A = Attitude

C = Cooperation

H = Honour

Read more at  http://www.investopedia.com/slide-show/5-ways-to-be-irreplaceable-at-work/?rp=i