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Would Your Absence Be Felt?
Reflections on Value at Work
Last week, I had an eye-opening conversation with an old friend, a senior civil servant. Over coffee, our small talk slowly gave way to something deeper. A conversation about value in the workplace.
He shared a story from early in his career. At the time, he believed that simply showing up and doing his job well was enough. “Back then,” he said, “I thought my presence alone was my value. But one day, my manager asked me a question that changed everything: ‘If you were to take a week off, would the organisation feel a temporary pain, or would things go on as usual?’”
That question lingered in the air. And it lingered with me long after our conversation ended.
It forced me to rethink what it truly means to add value. It’s not about being busy or even being excellent at execution. It’s about making a difference so distinct that your absence creates a gap that is noticed, even if only briefly.
As my friend put it, “It’s easy to assume we’re valuable just because we’re part of the team. But real value is when your absence is felt when something slows down, stalls, or loses momentum without your contribution. That’s when you know you’re truly making an impact.”
That struck a chord.
