Build People Who Can Take Your Job

Being the person everyone calls for the difficult technical problem can feel like success. It can also leave you wondering whether your contribution could extend further. In his January 2023 Fireside Chat conversation, Tomás Maldonado described wanting to move beyond being called in only to solve a particular problem or assess a particular technology. He wanted to teach other people.

That ambition led him to a position some managers might find uncomfortable: he wanted his team members to become capable of doing his job.

“I want my team to take my job. I want to build other CISOs.”Tomás Maldonado, Fireside Chat

Share the thinking behind the work

Maldonado described the satisfaction of helping others learn what he knew. He also acknowledged the fear that sharing expertise could make someone replaceable. His response was to welcome the growth of the people around him.

For a professional audience, the useful question is what that looks like in everyday work. One practical application is to explain the reasoning behind a decision: the options considered, the tradeoffs, and the information that would change the answer. A colleague can then practice making a judgment rather than simply repeating an instruction.

Help people develop their own judgment

There is an important qualification in the conversation. Maldonado did not want his team members to think exactly like him. He wanted his experience to help them reach their next level, including becoming a chief information security officer themselves.

That distinction makes the lesson more useful. Development does not require agreement with every decision a leader makes. It requires room to ask questions, propose another approach, and explain why. A team member who reaches a different conclusion may still be demonstrating the judgment you are trying to build.

Put the idea into practice this week

The following are editorial suggestions inspired by the conversation, rather than a checklist presented by Maldonado:

1. Choose one decision to share. Pick a recurring responsibility where someone can practice with appropriate support.
2. Make your reasoning visible. Explain the business objective, constraints, and tradeoffs before asking for their recommendation.
3. Let them lead the discussion. Ask them to present their judgment. Agree in advance on which decisions need your involvement.
4. Debrief the thinking. Discuss what they noticed, what they missed, and what they would do differently next time.

The ambition in this conversation is clear: helping another person advance can be a meaningful measure of your own leadership. Start with a specific opportunity to help someone grow, then give them enough space to use it.

Who on your team could take on more responsibility, and what would help them get ready?

Listen to the full conversation with Tomás Maldonado →