“Don’t be irreplaceable.  If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.”

– Anonymous

Someday, I would like to meet Mr. or Ms. Anonymous.  All of that wisdom!  Such common sense!  They have clarity of thought and are direct in their communication.  I wonder where Mr. or Ms. Anonymous lives and works?  I really do want to meet them … and often, I think that I have!

Anonymous took their own advice here.  Rather than taking credit for saying something brilliant, they simply moved on – to a higher place – they got promoted.  They now belong to all of us – they have become the wisdom of the ages.  They are everywhere … always.

Within these two sentences, you will find the best career advice you could possibly gain.  Want to be a better manager?  Make yourself replaceable – learn to delegate.  Train your team members how to do the job that you used to do.  But, encourage them to try to do it better or differently.  Remember that you were promoted from being a staff member and made a manager.  Don’t continue to do the same tasks you did as a staff member.  Delegate.  Make yourself replaceable!

Want to get ahead in your career?  Make your boss replaceable.  Start solving their problems.  Don’t continue to bring them your problems, bring them possible solutions.  Let them see that they are replaceable – by you!  Let them move up a rung on the career ladder.  And if they are smart, they will bring you along with them on the journey up.  They will be your mentor.

And of course, since you are also smart, you are training, coaching and mentoring your own staff.  Striving to make yourself replaceable.  You are learning to delegate tasks and encouraging your staff to take chances learn how to solve problems by themselves.  You are their mentors.  You are building trust with those above you in rank, those below you in responsibility and those who work alongside you.

You are learning to become replaceable.  You are demonstrating that you deserve to be promoted.  You are building your career.

Good luck!  You deserve it.