Definition: That irreplaceable blend of tribal knowledge and niche expertise possessed by one undervalued employee who quietly keeps everything running. Management sees them as replaceable overhead, ignoring their instinctive calibration of finicky machinery or client-handling mojo until it’s gone.
The moment they walk out, the “secret sauce” evaporates. Print jobs fail catastrophically, million-dollar contracts implode, and sausages taste like regret. Companies then scramble to replicate decades of muscle memory with an overpriced consultant named Kevin. Spoiler: Kevin can’t turn the magic knobs.
Example:
When Janice retired, the lab’s complex testing equipment constantly malfunctioned; her intuitive calibrations were impossible to document.
The new team couldn’t replicate Dave’s rapport with key client Old Man Henderson, leading to the loss of their biggest account.