Do you know anyone who left a hole?
I have had the great privilege of working with some very special people. In my business sales career, every once in a while, a special person would leave the organization. Sometimes it wasn’t on their own terms.
There is an old saying about the hole you leave in an organization is like sticking your arm in a bucket of water. Just like the water in the bucket immediately fills in the space left by removing your arm; you are replaced.
Many years ago, I discovered that this saying isn’t true. Sometimes a colleague leaves and there is an immediate difference you can feel. Things are just different. They leave a hole.
I first noticed this when a regional service manager had to leave due to health reasons. He was so trusted and respected by customers and colleagues that when he left there was a hole you could feel. New people came in and they were good at their job, but it just wasn’t the same.
I later experienced this on a larger scale when a national sales VP was let go for some reason. He had built a powerful atmosphere of teamwork, winning and “I’ve got your back”. The day after he left you could feel the difference, the wind left the sails of the sales team. I never felt it come back in the same way. He left a hole.
Thought leader Seth Godin describes how you can “leave a hole” in his book “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?” He describes a linchpin as, an individual who is essential, creative, and indispensable in their work. The linchpin is someone who goes beyond the traditional job description. Someone who adds value through innovation, creativity, and connections with others.
Do you know anyone who left a hole?
Joe Pops
R2BB