How to make yourself indispensable – inside an organization, or working with an organization

What do organizations do?

They try to hire the best and smartest people they can to address their core business.

As an information professional, will you know more than they do?

No, probably not. 

Will you know more ‘broadly’ than they do?

Yes, probably.

Can you think differently and bring value to them?

Yes.

So what do you do?

• You get a request or a project.
• If at all possible – if it’s of interest to you and to them – you meet with them.
• You talk with them.
• You get interested.
• You understand their challenges, issues, interests, goals more broadly.
• You become a part of the team.
• You trust yourself to provide information that is relevant.
• You then do so.

What then?

• You listen to them.
• You meet whom they are meeting with.
• You listen to those people.
• You get interested.
• You understand their challenges, issues, interests, goals more broadly.
• You trust yourself to provide information that is relevant.
• You then do so.
• You become a part of that team.
• Repeat.