How Your Second Job is Keeping You (and Everyone in Your Organization) From Being Your Best

08 Jan How Your Second Job is Keeping You (and Everyone in Your Organization) From Being Your Best

In most organizations, everyone is doing a second job that no one is paying them for. In public and private companies, in non-profits and government agencies, people are spending significant time and energy masking their vulnerabilities, hiding their limitations, and covering up their mistakes. They’re all doing a “second job,” a term coined by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey in their book An Everyone Culture, and it comes with a very steep price tag. 

Organizations often focus narrowly on performance, unintentionally creating environments where people feel pressured to protect their image, which is already a natural human tendency. These fear-driven cultures discourage risk-taking, hinder collaboration, and prevent employees from addressing their challenges openly. The result is a cycle that keeps both individuals and teams from growing and evolving.

Now imagine an alternative: A workplace intentionally designed to align with people’s deepest drive—the desire to grow. This is the premise of a Deliberately Developmental Organization (DDO), where growth isn’t confined to occasional offsites, high-potential programs, or executive coaching. Instead, a DDO weaves personal development into the fabric of the organization, allowing people at every level to overcome internal barriers and turn vulnerabilities into opportunities for growth. When employees no longer have to expend energy managing impressions, that effort can be redirected toward innovation, collaboration, and shared goals. 

Leaders play a crucial role in making this happen by modeling openness, vulnerability, and a commitment to personal development. Their example fosters trust, encourages collaboration, and accelerates problem-solving, creating a ripple effect that engages employees and increases effectiveness throughout the organization. What does this look like in practice? Leaders in DDOs might:

• Share their personal stories and talk openly about their own struggles and what they’ve learned from them.
• Ask for help, admit when they don’t have all the answers, and seek input from others.
• Engage in regular feedback that focuses on personal and professional development, not just performance outcomes.
• Encourage team members to openly discuss what they’ve learned from mistakes, framing errors as valuable stepping stones rather than setbacks.

By prioritizing development over image, leaders create a ripple effect throughout the organization. Employees feel empowered to take risks, address blind spots, and contribute their best ideas. The result is a culture where communication is transparent, challenges are solved more effectively, and people feel deeply invested in their work.

As you consider your role within your organization, ask yourself: Are you creating an environment where growth is possible for everyone? By dismantling the “second job” and fostering a culture of learning and trust, you’re not just enhancing results – you’re building a thriving organization where people and performance can grow hand in hand.