Escape From Excellence

We’ve all heard people say, “Nobody is irreplaceable,” and for most of us this has become a basic belief, a useful safeguard against arrogance and complacency. But it takes on a rather sinister tone during periods of economic downturn.

But it’s not true. Masters are irreplaceable.

Mediocrity must be replaced.

Excellence can be replaced (even if the search is arduous).

But Mastery can never be replaced, only succeeded. Only an idiot or a mediocrity fires a master.

I was watching the John Adams series on HBO recently, and also reading Founding Brothers, the Pulitzer winning book by Joseph J. Ellis, in anticipation of both Patriot’s Day and the marathon here in Boston. In both film and book, on the same night, I came across the account of Jefferson’s statement to Franklin upon taking up his position as the American representative in France, a position Franklin was vacating. Franklin opined that Jefferson would make an excellent replacement for him. Jefferson corrected Franklin and said, “You cannot be replaced, Dr. Franklin, only succeeded.” Here we see Jefferson acknowledge Franklin’s mastery, both as a diplomat and as a fixture in Paris. Not replaced, only succeeded. That’s it in a nutshell.

Here are the implications: A leader in Mastery leaves an irreplaceable legacy, and is also considered off limits if and when staff cuts come along. Masters leave on their own terms, in their own time, and only when they believe their gifts can be best put to use elsewhere. In this way, in Mastery, change is always an opportunity.

 Are you replaceable? Or can you only be succeeded?

Everybody is replaceable, right? Well, 99% of the time this is true, even when talking about successful, excellent leaders. But this weekend, in episode four of the series John Adams on HBO, I watched with interest as Thomas Jefferson corrected Ben Franklin by telling him that he could never replace Franklin as US Representative in Paris, but could only succeed him. Putting Jefferson’s own future achievements aside, this one line speaks volumes: masters can never be replaced, only succeeded. The goal of any master is to be succeeded by another master. And each master is unique. Jefferson at once recognized Franklin’s mastery, and made an implicit claim for his own!

But excellence is replaceable. Always. Because excellence is based on things like skill and effort, however advanced, it is replicable. In this way, “succession planning” may be a useful nicety to spare our feelings, it is a misnomer. It should be called replacement planning. That sounds bad, but it tells a difficult truth. If you are excellent, whether you’re the crack new recuit or the successful CEO, you are replaceable. And of course, that is good for the ongoing health of the excellent business. If excellence were good enough (it isn’t).

But masters leave a different legacy. Masters can only be succeeded. If they are succeeded by another master, all will be well. If not, the company throws the dice and hopes for the best, dealing with excellence, mediocrity, and failure over time and in turn. But in great mastery traditions, unlike business, for example in martial arts, music or comedy improvization, and monastic Buddhism, and probably in symphony conducting, there is a process of identification, initiation, and development into mastery, beyond excellence (you already have to be excellent even to be considered). In these places, mastery is planned and demanded. No mastery, no mantle.

But most so-called corporate “succession planning” only deepens the excellence, and the excellence trap, of the candidate for leadership; and in this it often succeeds. Unfortunately, the excellent leader then spends his or her time in leadership dealing with the limits and costs of excellence (read all about them here). 

We need Mastery Planning. A leader must work to develop mastery before taking the helm, or as quickly as possible thereafter. And the bench must include other masters in training, while the entire organization develops a culture of mastery, not just of success. Band-aids like “Lessons from Company X” pale in comparison to what would happen if a leader (and everyone else) learned and applied the lessons of a genuine mastery tradition. That would be something! This could be approximated by appropriating the methods of the various mastery traditions. But in practice this is usually a force fit when applied to business, and often fights with business. Business needs it own mastery; business needs to become a mastery tradition in it’s own right! A better way may be to check out what we’ve created, specifically for business, here.