There is someone in the business who seems to know everything.
They can locate the order nobody else can find. They remember the supplier’s arrangements. They know which customer needs a call before delivery. When a problem occurs, everyone says the same thing: ask them.
A person like this deserves appreciation. Their experience may be holding the business together in ways that are easy to overlook.
It is also worth asking whether the business has made it too difficult for anyone else to help.
When essential knowledge sits with one person, their competence can hide an organisational weakness. The work continues because they remember, intervene and make connections that no process requires anyone to record.
This can be tiring for them too. Leave comes with calls. A sick day produces anxious messages. Even when someone else covers the task, they remain responsible in practice because nobody feels confident without their guidance.
The question is how to preserve and share what they know while recognising the judgement that experience brings.
Start with the work that stops when they are away. Invite them to explain how it happens, including the awkward details that formal instructions often miss. Which information do they check? Which decisions need care? What tends to go wrong?
Make room for that explanation as part of paid work. Asking someone to complete their usual workload and document everything after hours simply adds another burden to the person you depend on.
Then let a colleague practise with support. Reading instructions is different from completing the task. The attempt will reveal unclear steps, missing access and decisions that need to be explained.
Some responsibilities should remain restricted. Sharing knowledge does not mean giving everyone access to payroll, private customer details or every business account. Coverage needs to fit the role and the information involved.
A stronger business gives experienced people room to take leave, develop others and work on matters that need their skill. It also recognises the value of teaching, rather than rewarding only the visible rescue.
Ask your most relied-upon person what would make it possible to switch off for a few days.
Listen carefully. They may already know where the business needs to become stronger.