Do I Have to Prove Myself?

Years ago a person I worked with shared an idea with me she had previously learned - that when it comes to work, “everyone is replaceable.”

It sounded cold, heartless, and even a little mean to me at the time. But as I’ve reflected on it over the years, I’ve realized there is truth to it. There was likely someone doing our job before us and someone will probably do our same job after us. Maybe not as well, and certainly not the same way, but someone will likely replace us.

At another job some years later, I had to go through and clean out an office of someone that had left a position. Several years after that at another job, I also had to clean out a former employees cubicle. In both cases, there were years and years of files, papers, forms, etc. most of which was of no further use. I ended up throwing away and/or shredding and recycling about 80% or 90% of what was left behind. It was a bit sad and disheartening to know that years of work and what seemed important to them to save was in the end of no use to anyone else. It was all replaceable.

Then again, in both cases, it did make room for a fresh start for someone else, or a new position, or a new approach.

More recently, someone mentioned frustration at feeling like she always needed to prove herself. I paused and thought about this for a moment. Then I responded, “Well, yes. We all do.”

Through the years, I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities to continue to learn and grown. I was privileged to be able to earn an advanced degree and have different jobs that allowed me build knowledge and skills. I’ve had great mentors along the way. But even with that on my resume, I still have to prove myself and show that I have learned along the way, and can apply what I’ve learned and have a level of competence to keep doing my job.

I saw an interview once with Renee Elise Goldsberry, Tony award winning actor from the original cast of Hamilton. She said that she worked hard to get that part and once she got it she said she worked hard every day to keep it. When the interviewer asked her why she added that she knew she could be replaced and she wanted to make sure she kept that job.

We all have to try to do our best every day. Ideally that is possible and even joyful to do. In the right environment, our skills, knowledge and experience will be able to come through in our work.

As leaders, I believe in both modeling this and providing an environment where all have the room to learn and grow, including from mistakes. It is important to set up a safe workplace culture for people to both excel at what with they are good as well as learn more with mentoring and guidance along the way. It is also our role to set up the expectations and values around bringing our best each day and striving for excellence in our work.

So strive for excellence. Give it your best as best you can. Make yourself hard to replace. Some days will be better than others, but the key is to try and to do so with integrity, a positive work ethic, and sense of integrity. So get out there and prove yourself everyday and try to bring your best self and your best work to your endeavors. You may find that good things happen.