2d • General discussion
Do not reward capability with overload.
Last week, we ended with capability.
The ability to understand the objective.
Make decisions.
Own the problem.
Learn from the miss.
Execute without needing someone to walk you through every step.
That is what development should produce.
But there is a problem.
Organizations sometimes respond to capability in the worst possible way:
They give the most capable person everyone else’s work.
You solve problems?
Here are three more.
You are reliable?
Cover the gap.
You lead well?
Take the struggling employee.
You finish early?
Here is another project.
You understand the system?
Now everyone comes to you when theirs breaks.
You consistently deliver?
Congratulations.
You have become the unofficial backup plan for the organization.
That is not development.
That is overload disguised as recognition.
And eventually, capable people notice.
They start realizing that every improvement in performance creates more work without more authority, opportunity, compensation, or development.
The message becomes:
“The better I perform, the more problems I inherit.”
That is a dangerous incentive.
Strong workforce systems should reward capability by expanding the person’s scope, not simply their volume.
There is a difference.
More volume:
Do more of the same work.
More scope:
Own a larger problem.
Make a bigger decision.
Lead a project.
Improve a system.
Teach someone else.
Take responsibility for an outcome.
Build capability underneath you.
That is growth.
And for leaders, this requires discipline.
Before giving another task to your strongest person, ask:
Am I developing them?
Or am I just using them because I know they will get it done?
Could this be a development rep for someone else?
Should the capable person lead the solution instead of personally doing all the work?
Does increased responsibility need increased authority?
Are we building a stronger team, or just building one exhausted employee?
And for individuals, pay attention to this too.
Being dependable is valuable.
But becoming the permanent dumping ground for organizational problems is not a career strategy.
At some point, the conversation needs to shift from:
“What else can I take on?”
to:
“What higher-level responsibility should I be growing into?”
Today’s question:
Have you ever seen a high performer get “rewarded” with more work instead of more opportunity?
And for leaders:
How do you increase someone’s responsibility without simply increasing their workload?
Drop it below.
Because capability should create opportunity.
Not punishment for being good at your job.
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Do not reward capability with overload.
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