I've been at the Road Commission for 21 years. That's a long time. Not the longest tenure in the room, but long enough that my brain is basically a filing cabinet of random history, processes, institutional knowledge, and details that most people don't even know to ask about. I remember looking at the long-timers when I first started and thinking...how do they know all of that? Will I ever get there? Well, I sure don't know everything. But I've gotten there in a lot of ways.

So that’s what this post is. The actual how. What job shadowing looks like when it works, how to cross-train without overwhelming your team, and how to stop wasting your vacation coverage opportunities. Let’s get into it. And yes, I know all of this. I’ve written it right here. That does not mean I do it perfectly or consistently. I am a work in progress too, and that is completely okay. I share this stuff because I believe in it, not because I have it all figured out.