It is important to discover how to stay relevant as a legacy employee. Have you been with your community bank or credit union over 20 years? Do you have a lot of knowledge that few employees have in your institution? Do you remember how “things were done” 20 plus years ago? Then you are what I lovingly call a “legacy employee.” You are valuable!

Do you find yourself trying to keep up with technology? Are the “new people” changing everything you used to do to a new way of doing things? Do you sometimes feel lost in the sea of information and don’t know where to begin to stay on top? Then you are what I respectfully call a “legacy employee.” You are in transition!

If you have been with your organization for 20-50 years, and want to learn how to stay relevant as a legacy employee, below are some tips that will inspire you to enjoy this season in your career:

Willingness to learn.

One of the keys to being a successful professional is to adopt a life-long learning attitude. The moment you lose the ability or willingness to learn, you start lagging. Attitude is everything! Your continued willingness to learn will open new doors of opportunity within your organization and you will experience less stress on your job.

Share your knowledge.

When you are willing to share all the amazing knowledge you have accumulated over your career with your coworkers, you will become a most valuable asset! It may seem that if you share information you will not be needed anymore. But it works the other way around. The more you share, the more others will seek your advice and input.

Mentor others.

Mentoring is taking someone under your wing and sharing your experiences with them. Mentoring is different than training in that mentoring is more informal, and you choose to mentor someone. Most likely what you mentor others on is not in any book because it’s based on your own life experiences. As you start thinking of your next adventure in life, you will find that leaving a legacy of knowledge is very satisfying. Your organization will keep you for as long as you want to because you are voluntarily creating your own succession plan.

Be open to new jobs.

Often workers who are contemplating retirement, want to stay put those last 3-5 years and not be bothered with having to move to a new position. They feel scared to learn and may feel threatened by others who have more technological knowledge. But taking on new jobs can help you stay sharp and may open new doors to stay in the workforce longer than you planned—not because you had to but because you want to and enjoy your new responsibilities. You may fill a need in your institution precisely because of your longevity with the organization.

Be coachable.

Typically, you may think of coaching the new generation or emerging leaders. However, being coachable simply means being open to doing things in a different way. Additionally, and regardless of age, some people may always need coaching to improve their communication or interpersonal skills. It takes humility to stay coachable throughout your career but it’s very rewarding to see your continued improvement.

It is important to discover how to stay relevant as a legacy employee. I hope these tips inspired you to act and continue to learn as you enjoy your present season in your career.

GWC ™ Basics: Do You Get It? Do You Want It? Do You Have the Capacity to Do It?

These are three key questions that author Gino Wickman asks business owners and leadership teams in his book Traction to ensure the right people occupy the right positions in your company. I am fascinated with figuring out people’s talents and helping them achieve personal success in life based on discovering their unique talents so this concept intrigued me. The key concept in this book is EOS, which stands for Entrepreneurial Operating System. EOS identifies Six Key Components™ of any organization. The entire book is very insightful and today I want to share the “People Component™” with you.

In the book, Wickman created a practical tool that you can use in your business to ensure you have the “right people in the right seats”—another great concept introduced by Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great. This tool is called the “People Analyzer™.” First, you need to know if you have the right people, then you need to put them in the right seats.

According to Wickman, “The right people are the ones who share your company’s core values. They fit and thrive in your culture. They are people you enjoy being around and who make your organization a better place to be.” His formula is: Core Values + People Analyzer = Right People.

In addition to the company’s core values, Wickman introduced another set of parameters to see if your employees are the right people for your company. These “assets” (as he calls them) are:

Get it: Do your employees really get the concept of the specific job and role they’re in? Do they understand the culture, the systems, the company’s pace, and “how the job comes together”? In other words, do your employees “get it”?

Want it: Do your employees truly want the job they’re in? Do they want the new opportunity or promotion you’re offering to them? Are they willing to work the extra hours, for example, to be successful in the position?

Capacity to Do it: Do your employees have the “mental, physical, and emotional capacity to do a job well”? Are they smart enough to do the job (intellectually)? Do they have the time to work more hours (even if they want to, can they?)?

The People Analyzer tool consists of two areas then: 1) List the company’s core values (up to the top five) and rate each employee with a “+” if they exhibit that core value 100% of the time, “+/-“ if they exhibit that core value some of the time, or a “-“ if they don’t exhibit that core value most of the time. 2) Add the three key assets of Get it, Want it, and Capacity to do it (GWC) to the chart as the last three columns. Write the names of each employee in each row and rate them under each core value and asset. The results should be measured against a bar you establish with the minimum number of core values and assets you’re willing to accept as positive (i.e. employees have to match four out of five core values and have a positive score on the three assets of GWC). Employees who match your criteria are considered “the right people” for your company.

The tough decision comes when you, as the business owner or leadership team, end up with one or more team members who need to go because, for one reason or another, they no longer fit in your company. Wickman’s experience shows that most companies experience significant growth after the wrong people are let go of the company. The other team members are grateful and the ones who left ultimately find a better place where they fit and where they can use their talents best.

I encourage you to explore the GWC basics and to, at least, explore asking the questions: Do I have the right people in the right seats in my company? Do my employees Get it? Do they Want it? and Do they have the capacity to do the job? You will get very interesting results. You may also, as an employee, want to ask yourself these questions and see how you respond.

GWC, Six Key Components, People Analyzer, People Component, EOS and the Entrepreneurial Operating System are trademarks or registered trademarks of EOS Worldwide, LLC.