Jack and Jane joined the same company around the same time, both hired into professional support roles. They worked on different teams, but at roughly the same level, with similar responsibilities and similar expectations.
Jack approached the job as it was written. Work came in and he completed it accurately and on time. When something was unclear, he asked. When priorities conflicted, he looked for direction. Managers trusted him because he did exactly what was asked, and he did it well.
Jane also did her assigned work, but she treated the job description more as a starting point than a boundary. When her work touched a process, she asked where it went next and where it ultimately ended up. When requests slowed, she asked how else she could help out. When a process broke, she tried to fix it. When decisions stalled, she framed options and helped push things forward.
Over time, the company began to change. New systems reduced some manual work. Teams became leaner. Managers had more direct reports and fewer check-ins. Some responsibilities disappeared. Others shifted without much announcement.
Jack’s performance didn’t change. His output stayed consistent. But gradually, there was less of it. The work he had been hired to do became narrower as tools improved and processes consolidated.
Jane’s work changed with the environment. She absorbed tasks that no longer had a clear owner. She became a point of continuity as systems, teams, and expectations shifted around her.
When business changed and leadership had to step back to review roles and coverage, the differences were visible. Jack’s remaining tasks could be redistributed without much disruption. Jane’s role was harder to separate from the work itself.
Jack was let go.
Jane was asked to take on more responsibility.
To be continued next week…