LINCHPIN. Becoming Indispensible.
from Business Pundit.com 10 Feb 10 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz 8/14
Author Seth Godin is a Linchpin, famous for “The Purple Cow” book. He always creates useful & enlightening written content. He covers business, marketing, & personal growth, with a single brush stroke. He’s a marketing guru, a public persona, a sage. He also defies simple explanation.
What is a Linchpin? Using a combination of attributes to become indispensable at what you do–is a key feature of Linchpins. A Linchpin is a person with a unique skill set and way of doing things. Their combination of skills, talents, & abilities – which the author – defines in his book, make them indispensable. If a Linchpin works in an innovative company, they are the person a company can’t live without. Well-known corporate Linchpins include Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Google’s Marissa Mayer. Howard Shultz is a good example. He affects large numbers of people in a positive way. Like your favorite barista at his Starbucks – the one you look forward to seeing every time you visit.
Overview: In this book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, the author makes the case that the world needs more Linchpins. He gives you background on why Linchpins are so valuable right now. He makes it clear how Linchpins operate, who they are, and why you need to be one.
Companies need Linchpins. Mediocrity, just showing up to work and doing what you’re told, used to guarantee you a paycheck. It won’t anymore. Today, our economy rewards the people without whom the company can’t function. You guessed it–Linchpins. Some new businesses have a model of hiring “cheap drones (they) can use as they scale, then dump them. But that won’t lead to customer loyalty or growth. It’s just not a good strategy; it’s only survival & maintenance. In order to flourish, a company needs Linchpins. What’s good for the individual (being indispensable) is good for the company, too.
Contents of the Book
The Old System. In his book, the author doesn’t tell you how to be a Linchpin. Instead, he gives you an aggregate picture of who Linchpins are, what they do, & why they’re so coveted. He starts the book by setting the stage for today’s work world. Many previously white-collar projects can now be done for free, either by crowds or by machines. Obedience and just showing up to work are passé. Unfortunately, school & the media have indoctrinated people to be factory workers. As a result, we automatically buy into a career system constructed on fear: Obey the boss or be fired.
The new Model. The author emphasizes that we need to cast that aside. He details what you need to do in order to change your factory-worker mentality. Instead of just sitting down and blankly following orders, you have to bring your soul to work. You have to stay human and be brave. You need to create, connect and innovate in your work. And, of course, you have to work hard.
The Lizard Brain. If being remarkable feels threatening, the author explains why, in following chapters. The amygdala, or lizard brain, will try to sabotage your best efforts, he says. If the lizard brain perceives something as being too risky, it tries to stop. It does this by making you hesitate, compelling you to overdo things, and undermining your confidence. After showing you how the lizard brain tries to stop you, he tells you how to thwart it.
[ The Qualities & Abilities of a Linchpin, Additional Traits of Linchpins, Conclusion, Remarks by the Blogger, in Premium Content ]