May Coordinators' Club — The Hidden Treasure of Being Irreplaceable
Posted by Communications on May. 5, 2022 / Program Recap / Subscribe 0
The title for this event immediately grabbed my attention. From the moment the event popped up in an SMPS email, I knew I needed to be there—to learn what it takes to become irreplaceable. I believe many of us relish the idea of being irreplaceable! Those who love their job, and are passionate about what they do, are eager to prove they're making a difference at their company. Not only that, we strive to use that momentum to move up, grab hold of new opportunities, and grow in our career. How do we achieve this kind of esteem from our coworkers and leadership? How do we get to the point where our company deems us irreplaceable?
Laura McDonald, Senior Marketing Professional and Patricia Mitchell, Senior Marketing Strategist at Terracon used their years of experience cultivating change within their marketing department to inspire SMPS members attending the May Coordinators’ Club. They shared practical how to advice on being a champion for change, advocating on your own behalf, and positioning yourself for future success.
Both Laura and Patty began with this statement—becoming irreplaceable has to start outside of your own job description. “You won’t get a promotion from just doing your job. That is what your boss expects of you. You get a promotion when you take on responsibility outside of your typical job description,” Patty said.
They shared three key steps to becoming irreplaceable to your company: 1. Identify Where You Want to Be | 2. Work Together | 3. Tell Your Story
Identify Where You Want to Be
The road to becoming irreplaceable leads to a level of vulnerability and a willingness to be honest. We may see possible areas of improvement at our company, but we're not sure how to tackle them head-on, or we struggle to see past the quick fixes. By pinpointing an area that needs improvement, you can begin to ask yourself the hard questions to push towards change.
Laura and Patty lamented that when they first started at Terracon, they noticed some challenges in their field. Patty shared that she didn't know much about the industry or what Terracon’s role was on projects. Laura stated that she felt distant from their technical team due to the vastly different job descriptions. From these challenges stemmed even larger issues—their submittals were a mixed bag and never seemed to possess the continuity and quality content they desired. So, instead of shaking their heads and leaving things as they were, Laura and Patty brainstormed how to positively change Terracon’s submittal process.
They identified the challenges they were facing, then dug deep to identify the root cause in order to create sustainable solutions. As a team, they discovered that their submittal quality was rooted in a lack of confidence and a lack of trust between the technical and marketing departments. Once they found the root cause, Patty and Laura developed solutions that helped build trust and collaboration between the departments. In turn, better content was created which led to an increased confidence in the submittal process.
In order to identify where you want to be, you must:
- What are the obstacles? Where are the issues? What affects do these obstacles have?
- What is the root cause? Don’t be satisfied with “Band-Aid” remedies. There are plenty of short-term solutions, but they will not cultivate long-term change. If you want to see improvement—dig deep to find the root cause.
- How can you make it better? Once the root cause has been discovered, begin curating a game plan to make it better. Start small, with meaningful steps to gain people’s trust. Invite them along to join the process and gain momentum.
By choosing something tangible that needs improvement, and slowly developing solutions that tackle the root of the problem, you are well on your way to becoming irreplaceable!
Work Together
Another key ingredient to becoming irreplaceable is learning to work together. Oftentimes people become siloed in their jobs and feel that everything would be easier if they "just accomplished it themselves." But, part of being a champion for change means relying on collaboration and teamwork with your colleagues. Laura and Patty kept encouraging the crowd to use this opportunity to gain connections with coworkers and leadership. Change cannot happen in a vacuum or from the efforts of one person alone. Change needs people who rally around the idea, believe in what they are doing, and who are willing to put in the work alongside you. In the process of improving things within your company, work towards gaining advocates, mentors, mentees, and peers who can bolster the movement alongside you.
Tell Your Story
The final piece of advice Patty and Laura shared—telling your story. When creating change and setting new career goals for yourself, YOU are your best advocate! Managers and executives may not remember everything you do above and beyond for your company, so it is up to you to tell your story. Laura and Patty shared that saving success stories was pivotal in their careers—helping them achieve new heights professionally.
Three ways to tell your story:
- Save your successes. When you do something outside your typical job description—add it to your resume! This will not only bolster your confidence for the next challenge, it will be a great reminder to yourself and your leadership of what you contribute to the company.
- Remember your accomplishments. Pursue awards, recognitions, and spotlights. Save them all!
- Communicate your success to others. You will never get where you want to go in your career if you don't communicate your success. Patty shared a professional goal she has set, noting that her peers and leadership are aware of where she wants to be and are helping her to get there—all because of communication.
Telling your story grows your confidence, reminds you of your value, and helps you become a leader in your company!
I learned a lot from this presentation and Laura and Patty’s personal experiences. The road to becoming irreplaceable is wrought with hard work and perseverance—the benefits of achieving lofty goals is worth it!
Lauren Martin, Marketing Coordinator
J.M. Thompson
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