Proxies of Value

Last week, I explored a single question: How do you know if you are relevant at work?

This week, I want to explore a related question: How do you know if you're adding value at work?

To answer that, I want to start by defining what a proxy is.

If you haven't heard the term before, it's usually used when it comes to voting on something.

A proxy is someone who is authorized to act on behalf of someone else.

In more general terms, a proxy is something that can represent something else.

The line in front of a restaurant is a proxy for how tasty the food is.

The tidiness of your desk is a proxy for how orderly you are (or how bored you get at work).

The length of your standing broad jump is a proxy for your power output.

You get the idea.

Let's now think about proxies in the context of work.

Specifically, let's think about proxies for the value you're adding at work.

If your calendar is mostly full of meetings, is that a proxy for value?

If you receive a ton of email each day, is that a proxy for value?

If you're involved in several large/important projects, is that a proxy for value?

The dangerous trap that's easy to fall into, is that of the false proxy.

Let's take meetings.

I believe that meetings are the single biggest false proxy for value in the modern workplace.

I understand that's a broad statement, and you can easily counter-argue that by saying, well it depends what kind of meetings.

Sure. But you know the kinds of meetings I'm referring to.

What then are the real proxies for your value at work?

Is it how much free space you have in your calendar in a given week?

It is how much time you spend in deep work each week?

Is it the size of your actual work-in-progress list?

It's likely that you already know the answers, even if you haven't taken the time to think about them and say them out loud.

You know what it feels like when you're adding value at work, because you also know what it feels like when you're wasting your time.

Take time to find the true proxies for value.

Ignore the rest.

p.s. This post was influenced by a favourite from one of my heroes, Seth Godin: Avoid False Proxies.