There’s no doubt about it: being indispensable to your boss is going to require being smarter than he/she is, or at least becoming knowledgeable. To do this, you are going to have to make it a habit to read everything from Annual Reports and business magazines to newspapers and business publications.
Try to stay ahead of your boss, and call things to his attention that he might have missed. However, be careful not to make him think that you want his job! When presenting him with an article, attach a note saying. ‘I’m sure you’ve already read this but I thought you might like to pass it along to the Accounting/Marketing/Sales Department."
When it becomes apparent that there is a problem to be solved, this is your golden opportunity to devise a workable solution to it, presenting your idea such that the boss can take credit for it. (Remember; this is all about YOUR longevity, and you'll therefore need to learn humility. After all, the goal is for you to become indispensable, not confrontational!)
Undoubtedly, at some point, you'll have to acquire or learn some new tech skills that will be useful to your company. Rather than insisting that the company send you to class, take the initiative to do so on your own such that when the time comes, you will already have the necessary training and skills to do what it necessary. Knowing more than your co-workers is a sure-fire way to be the one who stays on the job. Remember, however, that no one likes a know-it-all!
If your boss sees that you are constantly ahead of the game, and constantly trying to do things that will help him succeed, chances are that he will come to think of you as a valued employee, and one without whom he cannot function!
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