Every organization has that one person to call when the numbers don’t add up, stakeholders aren’t happy, morale is low, or a high-profile presentation is about to go sour. Without hesitation, they always call the person who saves the day. They fix the spreadsheet, calm the nervous tension, increase the morale and quickly process the slide and call with an optimal solution during an otherwise tense presentation.
They’re called “the glue that holds it all together” and “we’d be lost without you,” but when advertising season rolls around, they’re once again overlooked. This person was not penalized for poor performance, they paid what I call a “power tax”.
What is an authority tax?
Available for top performers hidden career cost Being “trusted” becomes your wholeness person. Because you always provide, the reward for good work is more work instead of strategic opportunities or promotions.
Why does this happen? Leaders are trying to reduce friction and uncertainty. When they know they always have someone they can trust to deliver under pressure and minimize chaos, they will naturally turn to that person the next time something important or urgent happens. Before long, the identity of being perfect becomes the expectation—that others don’t deserve it either. So the better you are at your current job, the harder it will be for others to imagine you at your next job.
Why top performers pay the skill tax
Many high performers unconsciously reinforce this cycle. They enjoy solving difficult problems that no one else can solve. For them, it is like a puzzle to be solved. They say yes because they genuinely want to help, even to the point of harming themselves. They get a sense of satisfaction and satisfaction from being trusted. Believing in the adage that good work speaks for itself, they rarely defend themselves. If there is a problem, everyone knows who to turn to. This cycle is self-perpetuating.
Four Signs You’re Paying Authority Tax
There are signs that being responsible has become your personality.
If something goes wrong, you are the first call. You can be trusted to solve almost any problem, big or small, but trust is mostly about performance. You are rarely drawn into strategy meetings where you can provide insight into potential problems.
Your responsibilities are expanding, but your influence is not. They keep demanding more from you. You have more responsibility without proper authority.
You will be praised again and again, but yours career stopped. You said you are always a valuable asset to the team and organization. Amazingly, you were very valuable where you are and why you are not growing in your career.
You are doing urgent work, but not what you see. You are putting out fires and calming troubled waters. You fix, support and execute. Meanwhile, someone is giving a presentation leadership (perhaps presenting your work), building relationships, and strategizing.
Competence is one of the fastest ways to develop a reputation. Who doesn’t want an employee they can trust? Unfortunately, reputation alone does not guarantee growth. The goal is not to be less reliable. This is to ensure that your credibility creates an opportunity instead of an incarceration. Top performers don’t get promoted just because they do great work. When others understand the value and impact of your work and connect it directly to your contribution, they will thrive.
