SOPs: You’re Hoarding Knowledge and the Why

Dear Reader,

This is not a how-to guide on building SOPs. This is to you understand the reason why the system itself is necessary. Because one person or one group of people cannot be the system. If they are, there's trouble ahead.

In every organization there is a “Marisol.” You know the one. The go-to. The person everybody says, “Oh wow, you’ve got to ask Marisol. She knows how to do it.” And Marisol knows how to do the damn job better than anyone else. Let her take more than the week of PTO we all expect and suddenly, everyone is scrambling like eggs.

But Marisol is not giving up all her knowledge. Why?
Because she ties her value to what she knows and what nobody else knows. If everyone has to come to her, she feels indispensable. She thinks her knowledge of systems, whether it is software or daily workflows, gives her a stake in the company. Like she is almost an investor.

But here is the truth. That is false hope.

Life Will Life

It does not matter how much you know. Life will start life'ing. I'm a living testimony. If you haven't experienced that yet, as my grandmother used to say, "Baby, just keep on living".

The unpredictability of life can bring a divorce, illness, breakdowns (cars being among the list) and a whole host of other things.

Tying control to knowledge is fragile. The hard fact is this. You control less than you think. What you really have is influence, not control, if that.

And hoarding knowledge to control an outcome? That is manipulation.
Knowledge hoarding is a form of manipulation because it withholds information to control results. It does not matter if the motive is job security or a steady paycheck. Manipulation is manipulation.

And if you are hoarding knowledge right now, ask yourself this. What happens to your team if tomorrow you are not there? Can they function, or will they drown? Because that answer says more about your leadership than your loyalty.

Sweetie Honey Baby Pie, That’s Delusion

I know what some of you are thinking. “It is not my job. I do not get paid to write SOPs.” And you could be right technically (though remember unless you are not in an at-will employment state and/or have an explicit contract stating otherwise, the famous phrase lives on… "all other duties assigned". But let’s be practical. The problem is when the new hire comes in, and you are the one training them.

And you decide, “I do not need them knowing everything, because if they know everything, they will take my job.”

Sweetie honey baby pie. That is the delusion. That is the manipulation. You are not protecting yourself. You are sabotaging them. And you are setting yourself up to burn out, and or look like you're unwilling to be a team player because now you are the only one who knows how to keep the machine running.

Fear is the Root

Let’s call it what it is. Fear.
Fear of being replaced. Fear of someone knowing more than you. Fear of being irrelevant. Fear of not having control or influence. Fear that if people know what you know, you will not matter anymore.

But ask yourself this. If your only value is what you keep locked up, is that really value? Or is it insecurity dressed up as power?

Legacy vs Delusion

Life will go on without you. People will say, “Wow, we wish Marisol was here.” But the work will keep moving. As the song says, "One monkey don't stop no show. This train gone keep on rollin".

The difference is in what you leave behind.

• If you hoarded knowledge, your legacy is short-lived. “They knew everything but left us with nothing.”

• If you built systems, your legacy is durable. Planks get replaced, but the iron rails stay strong. They will say things like, "Do you have the SOP Marisol wrote?".

Which reputation do you want? The one people whisper about, “she knew everything, but left us stranded.” Or the one people thank because you gave them tracks to run on? That choice is yours, and you are making it every single day. And remember, your reputation is built in the every day actions you take, not what you know.

Fairness for the People Left Behind

Think about the folks who have to step in after you. Is it fair to them to walk into chaos because you did not want to share?

And I would really implore you not to hide behind excuses like, “Well nobody gave me anything, so why should I give it to them.” That is not strength. That is scarcity. If you had to claw your way through, why would you want the next person to bleed the same way? Making someone hurt will not change your past, but you can change their tomorrow.

Crabs in a barrel thinking would say more about your character than the organizational ability of the company.

And let’s not confuse boundaries with hoarding. You do not have to give away free labor or consult for nothing. But if you can leave behind a system within your scope of influence, that is not just generosity. That is integrity.That is your character on display for anyone. And, it's something to put on that resume (clock it).

Organizations, You Are Not Off the Hook

Companies also feed this problem when they rely on heroes instead of systems. Do not celebrate the one person who knows everything thinking that is proven success of your systems. Celebrate the people who build processes that outlast them. If SOPs are not expected, rewarded, or baked into culture, do not be surprised when knowledge stays trapped in people’s heads. Incentive them, inspire them, PAY them.

The Real Question

Is hoarding knowledge going to make your legacy stronger?

Or will you be the person who gave, who built, who left things better than you found them?

Because one of those paths ends with exhaustion and vanity. The other ends with legacy.

So, prove it. Write it down. Share it. Build the system. Don't be Marisol. Start being the legacy.