The people you don’t see
Fred Rogers told us to look for the helpers. I found out another one is retiring. Lots of them recently. The dependable ones, who do their jobs with quiet kindness, in ways organizations and algorithms don’t promote.
I’m not here to demonize people who enjoy loud, obvious success. Organizations and society need them too. You might get into a field genuinely wanting to help people, but can only get ahead in it by helping yourself. Being the loudest person in the room, or the best connected, or the most politically savvy. Not the smartest or kindest.
You can spend time and energy on self-promotion or lobbying upper admins for ever-diminishing resources, or you can help someone who needs you in that moment. Both create value. Only one appears in a spreadsheet.
That’s who’s retiring. The helpers. Earlier than they could, yes because of soul-deep exhaustion, but also as a grace note harmonizing with their selfless careers, with a faint hope that their exit creates room for someone in the next generation.
The invisible labor and goodwill of unseen people make good things happen. For people in their workplace and for those who interact with it. They matter, far beyond any quantitative metrics. Last quarter’s earnings and promotions will be forgotten. Their kindness won’t.