Mark Samuel

We could easily make the mistake of thinking that Mark Samuel's thoughtful and thought-provoking book "Making Yourself Indispensable" is all about us. But we don't, as trainer-teacher-learners who need to be playing leadership roles in the organizations we serve, have to move very far into his work to see that Samuel has his sights on more than individual endeavors. You are "not indispensable unless you use your gifts and principles in service to other people's success, improvement, or survival," he suggests (p. 13), and it's a theme that makes what otherwise could have been a very self-centered endeavor take on much greater importance for all of us and those we serve. His work is centered on a personal accountability model that first takes us through what he calls "the victim loop," then continues into an accountability loop that helps us engage in a level of self-examination that leads to effective learning which, in turn, produces action. The theme of interdependence is never far from the surface here; in fact, it's an essential part of being successful and fostering success within an organization: "Ask for assistance!" he insists (p. 94). Trainer-teacher-learners also can't help but react positively to Samuel's chapter on how much the learning process is part of our efforts to be indispensable in the terms outlined in this book: "Learning," he suggests, is "the outcome of every relationship we are in and every action we take" (p. 161). If we approach our relationships with the spirit of teaching-training-learning that is at the heart of all we do, we're likely to reach one of the many useful conclusions Samuel offers: "Being indispensable doesn't start and stop with whatever job you are currently in. It is a lasting state based on the value you represent to others" (p. 115).… (más)