The Hidden Cost of Being the “Go-To” Person

The thing about becoming great at your job and demonstrating how reliable you are is that people will come to rely on you more and more for achieving greatness. Some might consider that a blessing, while others would consider it a burden. When you make yourself the go-to person, you become an essential piece in the game of business. While that is a great honor and makes you feel valued, it can also quietly turn into overload. 

You inadvertently make yourself the filter through which important tasks flow. People pass things off to you because you have demonstrated that you are well-suited to handle such things. However, just because you have the skill and ability to do so does not mean that you have the time in your schedule to take them on. Being the go-to person is an honor until people come to you in excess. If it is not in your nature to turn someone away when they ask for your help, then you find yourself in an impossible situation after a while. There are only so many tasks that you can balance at once. You cannot take everything on.

As such, it is important to set boundaries not only for yourself, but also for others who come to you. You can still be the go-to person without being the only person who can complete the task. Instead of trying to save someone from figuring things out for themselves, you should be equipping them with the knowledge and resources they need to complete the task on their own. This transforms you from playing the hero to becoming the multiplier.

Part of how you can do this is by asking them how they believe they could accomplish it. Instead of telling them how to do it, you create a sense of ownership in them by allowing them to come up with the steps for completing the task. You can nudge them in the right direction, but it’s important for them to buy into the process and that’s easier when they have a say in it. Additionally, they may approach the task differently from you and still achieve the desired results. This is one less burden for you to take on and one more accomplishment for them to add to their professional experience. 

Stop trying to be the hero, and instead focus on multiplying performance within your organization. Being the go-to person for knowledge and wisdom is far more impactful than trying to take everything on yourself.

-Meghan Slaughter