When someone leaves a role, another person usually takes over.
The new person may be qualified, capable and ready to do the job.
But they do not immediately inherit the history that came with it.
They may not know why a certain process was introduced. They may not know which issues keep coming back. They may not know who to contact when something needs dealing with quickly.
They may also need time to understand which problems can wait and which ones are likely to become much bigger.
That does not mean the new person is not good enough.
It simply means some things can only be learned over time.
The role may have been replaced.
The years behind it have not.
This becomes obvious after someone leaves.
The questions start.
Who knows the background to this?
Why was that decision made?
Where is the information?
Who used to deal with this?
Sometimes the answer is the person who has already gone.
While they were there, their knowledge may have seemed ordinary because people were used to relying on it.
They answered the questions. They remembered the history. They knew where things were. They understood how the work really operated.
Once they leave, all of that becomes more noticeable.
The records may still exist.
The person who understood what they meant may not.
This does not only happen at work.
It happens in families, friendships and relationships as well.
Someone may leave, but the part they played is not always easy to replace.
They may have been the person who remembered the history, kept people connected or understood what was happening without needing a full explanation.
Another person can step into a position.
They cannot step into the exact same history.
A replacement may fill the gap.
They do not become the person who left.
Life. Construction. Legacy.
Thoughts on life through construction and the built environment.
Marlon Amele MCIOB
Founder of BuildionX
Marlon Amele | Life. Construction. Legacy. 