Sam’s always the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave. This is the second consecutive month his boss has named him ’employee of the month’. Always punctual, efficient, and willing to help.

Sam’s an exemplary worker, but despite his effort, his salary is among the lowest in the company. Quite the opposite to Julian, whose lack of discipline doesn’t prevent him from being the highest-paid employee.

It’s rare for Julian to arrive at the office before ten. On one hand, his colleagues resent him, but on the other, his charisma and people skills make him a captivating character.

Sam’s frustration has been growing over time. What’s the point of being ’employee of the month’ when his salary barely covers the rent?

Meanwhile, Julian lives a life of luxury. Among other perks, the company provides him with expense allowances, a personal assistant, his own parking space, and an extremely flexible working arrangement.

Does that seem fair? Not to Sam.

Today, Sam noticed his boss was quite nervous. There’s a tense atmosphere in the office. Something’s up.

An email arrives from one of the directors with the subject “Urgent meeting at 11 AM.”

During the meeting, the rumours are confirmed: the company’s most important client has communicated their intention to switch suppliers. This client represents 50% of the annual sales. The decision is not yet confirmed, but losing this client would endanger the company’s survival.

The person tasked with meeting the client is none other than Julian. After two hours of negotiations, Julian convinces the client that the best option is to continue working together.

In addition to having cultivated a relationship with the client over many years, his negotiation skills in moments of crisis have been key to saving the company.

In terms of “effort”, Julian has little to contribute. However, his role was fundamental in the client’s decision. Thanks to him, the company will continue generating over five million pounds a year.

Julian may not work long hours, but his contribution makes a massive difference.

While it’s easy to sympathise with Sam’s frustration, the reality is that money doesn’t reward effort; it rewards the value you generate.

Next, let’s explore in more detail why Julian earns much more than the rest.

1) Distinctive Talent: Your talent can be defined as a combination of skills and experiences that set you apart from others. You may find other people with similar academic profiles, but it’s impossible for all to share the same experience, culture, language, or communication skills.

In our example, Julian has decades of experience in sales. Besides being a great communicator and having contagious charisma, his network of contacts makes him difficult to replace. His distinctive talent makes Julian unique.

However, Sam’s job is to ensure customers receive their orders and process invoice payments on time. Although his job is important and requires much effort, Sam is replaceable.

2) Responsibility: When you make the wrong decision, what are the consequences of your error? If the consequences are severe, you’ll feel the weight on your shoulders and, in some cases, a sense of discomfort many people prefer to avoid. This is called responsibility.

When Julian meets with the client, the company’s future is at stake. On the other hand, when Sam makes a mistake, his boss takes responsibility and apologises to the client.

3) Leverage: This measures your ability to transform effort into results. For example, a hairdresser has low leverage since they can only attend to clients one at a time. Meanwhile, an actress can make a film in a year and receive income for decades. This is possible because the result of her work can be reproduced indefinitely without additional costs. In other words, an actress has high leverage.

Every time Julian attracts a new client or retains existing ones, the company generates thousands or millions of pounds in sales. As little as it may seem, Julian’s effort has an enormous impact. Undoubtedly, this is a job with high leverage.

What can Sam do to improve his situation?

Learn new skills or find another job where his distinctive talent has more value. Perhaps Sam’s qualities would be more useful in another company.

Get promoted: Sam is one of the most experienced people on his team. He knows all the processes like the back of his hand and has been key in training new employees. A promotion would allow him to take on decision-making responsibilities, bearing the consequences of what happens in his department.

Find a way to produce more with less: His discipline is admirable, but Sam needs his effort to have a greater impact on the company and its clients. Perhaps it’s possible to automate some of the processes he knows so well, negotiating incentives in exchange for reducing costs.

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The world is full of people who, according to popular opinion, “don’t deserve what they earn”. Actors, footballers, executives, singers, influencers… We all agree that none of them “saves lives”, and therefore, a doctor’s job is much more important.

However, there is a nuance that many ignore: the income of a singer, actor, or footballer doesn’t just represent the value you attribute to them, but the combined value of all the people who admire them.

Therefore, a person’s wealth is simply a reflection of the value society attributes to them.