Company Blog

Indispensable

by Adam Zack — July 24, 2024

I actually think some people ARE indispensable.

A very long time ago the key management personnel of my family’s small grocery chain planned a revolt. They schemed and organized, whispered and planned and spread terrible untrue rumors. Then came the ultimatum to my dad: “Sell us two of the stores or we walk! We’re out of here and you will die a miserable death.” So they thought. Mind you this was the general manager, a store manager, the grocery buyer, the accounting manager and the bakery production manager. Gulp. My dad gave me a call and said he needed me to move to the Palm Springs area and come to work for the company. I was living in San Diego, 24 years old, heading into summer and with a steady girlfriend for the first time in my life, so of course I thought of myself first. Move to the desert where it soon would be 110 degrees? No way. But I thought that for just for a minute. Blood is much thicker than seawater. I went to work for him and all the managers quit (except for one – the bakery production manager, thank you baby Jesus). We went to work figuring out what they all actually did and how they did it. It was scary and some things were hard, but you know what? Over 35 years later the company has grown, prospered and provided a solid living for our family of loyal employees. Those guys thought they were indispensable. They were not. This is where the flip side of the story comes in. I actually think some people ARE indispensable. Or at least only dispensable with a LOT of pain, headaches, financial cost and incomplete work. There are buyers and art department specialists and human resource managers and web developers and designers that companies would just be lost without. Think of your five best employees. Now think what would happen if they left suddenly. What’s your plan? They have done a great job of making themselves vital to your success, and hopefully you have done your job rewarding and recognizing them for their efforts. So take the time to think of your key players – the spokes in the wheel, the aces in the deck, the gas in the tank. Then think about what you would do without them. Gulp, is right.