Due to certain experiences recently, companies lay offs, general economic gloom something a friend told me not so long ago has come back to me with timley meaning; “Darragh, be a plug-in and not a cog“. Basically this means that you avoid fitting into the company machine, do not conform to medirocracy, do not be pushed into becoming a comdity. Think differently, work differently be different always look for new ways of creating value, look for new problems to be solved, don’t be another cog in the machine, another brick in the proverbial wall.
Fitting in is attractive
Fitting in to the machine is tantleisingly attractive especially if there is, and there usually is, pressure from the rest of the cogs to do so. Being out on your own at moments is quite difficult to handle and makes you question yourself…Doing the right thing in the wrong place can causes a lot of pain.
Being a plug-in does not mean that you only look out for yourself and do not create value for the company, on the contrary we are talking about being innovative, creative, focused and active. However, it does mean that you cannot be replaced like a cog. You plugin into the company like nobody else, you play things differenly and there is no real way to duplicate that, that is the risk for the company and the benefit for you. In addition to plugging in you can also plug out and look for another socket (opportunity that fits better).
Solve new problems, create value for others; be a plug-in my friend!
I think it is very admiral to see people who strive to innovate, to break moulds. But those that I most admire are those that do so while always looking for a balance between working well with the rest and being different.
Be a plug-in and look for new sockets, new problems to solve and new ways of creating value for others.
