“The Art of Being Indispensable at Work: Win Influence, Beat Overcommitment, and Get The Right Things Done”
by Bruce Tulgan
2020/Harvard
Business Review
$28/256 pages
Yes! If only your boss would say that more often. Yes, you get a raise. Yes, we’re putting you in charge of the team. Yes, you’re doing great! Yes, there’s a promotion in your future. You love hearing the word “yes,” but as you’ll see in “The Art of Being Indispensable at Work,” by Bruce Tulgan, maybe you should say it more, too.
Working collaboratively is more important than ever; you can’t just pop over to a cubicle next door for answers anymore. Getting help might mean Zooming someone from a different department in another state.
Sounds like it should make things easier, but it doesn’t, says Tulgan. Everything suddenly seems to be your job, and no one likes working this way. How do you gain the influence you need to move things along? Two words: serving others.
There are many traits of a servant leader and go-to person, Tulgan says.
A go-to person is valuable to everybody inside and outside their immediate department. They hold real influence with their coworkers, communicate at all levels and make sure the right thing is done in any situation. It takes a special person to step into this role but if you seem to be headed in that direction, you can hasten the curve by remaining businesslike in all situations. Take ownership of an issue and be sure that you communicate often and clearly. Know that yes and no both require big decision-making and that sometimes there’s a third answer.
Despite the extra effort, this book may set readers up for all the right things in an unknown future.
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