“Joe, we can never replace you.” This is so often true and felt of every long-term team member.
I have never met anyone with the unique background and skills of Greg, Nancy, Barry, Kelly, Courtney, James, Janine, Henry, Linda, John and so many others that I have worked with in the past.
Sandy had a master’s degree in English. She was brilliant, but that educational background was not really required when she first joined our team. Barry had a PhD in Physics – a certification not necessary to curate software for a user community. Both were life-long learners, adaptable and eager to expand their skills.
So perhaps we shouldn’t try to replace someone. Instead of writing job requirements based on “Joe” today, let’s think about Joe’s background, aptitude, attitude and skills versus the job when he first took the position.
If “first impressions Joe” turned out to be a pretty good employee, then someone else will be able to do that job. They may not tick every box that made Joe special, and that is ok.
The objective is not to replace the irreplacable. The objective is to find someone who can do the job and learn/grow within it.
In a short time, that new employee will likely become irreplaceable just like Joe.
