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I’ve spent the last two weeks slowly working myself out of a job. Each day I pass more and more responsibilities and knowledge onto other people, making myself less and less necessary. Each day I have a little less to do.
Working for your own departure is a strange feeling. For someone whose dream has always been to live with a bang, leaving a job with a whisper is a little disconcerting. I have no illusions of grandeur here; it’s not as if the company will fall apart without me. But while part of me owes my co-workers a smooth transition, another part wishes I could leave a bigger hole, just to say I was here.
Perhaps it’s appropriate that our entire office is being remodeled this month. Tearing down walls, creating space – a near-perfect metaphor.
Work for Remarkable
I think: whatever job you have, whoever you work for, whatever it is that you do, you’re either working to make yourself more valuable or working to make yourself replaceable.
It’s easy to go down the road of replaceability, easy to put in your hours, fit into your assigned role, delegate work haphazardly.
Making yourself valuable, on the other hand, doesn’t happen without intent. You have to think about it constantly. What can I contribute that no one else does? How can I address the problems that everyone else ignores? By the way, this applies to life outside a job as well. A remarkable, interesting life doesn’t happen by accident.
For the past two and a half years, I was fortunate enough to work for a company where it was easy to speak up, do more, and get rewarded for it. I’m grateful; not everyone gets so lucky the first time around. But now that I’ve tasted it, I can’t imagine working in any other kind of environment. From joozone.com.
Here’s what I believe: if you have a job where you’re not at all motivated to be exceptional, if you’re doing work you couldn’t care less about, if your boss doesn’t care about inspiring you to be better, it’s time to move on.
Teach for Mastery
You don’t know what you know until you pass it on. As I prepare my former right-hand man to take over my position, I realize just how many important lessons about work, management, people, and leadership I’ve learned in the last few years. They weren’t all positive lessons (I’ve spent a lot of time cleaning up after my own mistakes), but I’m a completely different person today as a result.
Many people shy away from positions of leadership or authority because they believe they don’t know enough to teach. I think it’s only by teaching and sharing that we discover the depth of our own knowledge and ability. Mastery, like everything worth chasing in life, is a journey. You don’t have to become an expert before you can teach; you start teaching and become an expert along the way.
My Inspiration
I’m constantly inspired by people who have the courage to chase their dreams. People like my friend Melissa, who left her job to pursue her amazing work. Congratulations, Melissa – and thanks for leading the way.
Are you chasing something interesting, unconventional, inspiring? I’d love to hear your story.
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We've shared a lot in the 24 years we've been meeting here each evening， and before I say good night， this night， I need to say， "thank you."
Thank you to the thousands of wonderful professionals at CBS News， past and present， with whom it's been my honor to work over these years. And a deeply-felt thanks to all of you who have let us into your homes， night after night. It has been a privilege， and one never taken lightly. Not long after I first came to the anchor chair， I briefly signed off using the word "courage."
I want to return to it now in a different way： To a Nation still nursing a broken heart for what happened here in 2001， and especially to those who found themselves closest to the events of September 11th
To our soldiers， sailors， airmen and Marines in dangerous places
To those who have endured the tsunami and to all who have suffered natural disasters and who must now find the will to rebuild
To the oppressed and to those whose lot it is to struggle in financial hardship or in failing health
To my fellow journalists in places where reporting the truth means risking all And to each of you Courage. For the CBS Evening News， Dan Rather reporting.
Good night.