Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
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ISBN13: 9781591843160 Condition: NEW Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Description
"The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labor, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions this organizations and people care deeply concerning." In bestsellers such as Purple Cow and Tribes, Seth Godin taught readers how to do remarkable products and spread great ideas. But this book is different. It's concerning you - your choices, your future, and your potential to do a huge difference in whatever field you select. There used to be two teams in each workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, do things happen, and make order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their clients and peers. They love their work, pour their excellent selves into it, and turn every day into a kind of art. Linchpins are the necessary building blocks of excellent organizations. Like the small piece of hardware this keeps a wheel from falling off its axle, they may not be famous but they're indispensable. And in today's world, they get the excellent jobs and the much liberty. Have you ever found a shortcut this others missed? Seen a new way to resolve a conflict? Made a connection together with someone others couldn't reach? Even one time? Then you have what it takes to become indispensable, by overcoming the resistance this holds people back. Linchpin will show you how to join the likes of... *Keith Johnson, who scours flea markets across the country to fill up Anthropologie stores together with distinctive pieces. *Marissa Mayer, who keeps Google focused on the things this really matter. *Jason Zimdars, a graphic designer who got his dream job at 37signals not including a résumé. *David, who works at Dean and Deluca coffeeshop in New York. He sees each client interworking as a chance to provide a gift and is cherished in return. As Godin writes, "Each day I meet people who have so much to provide but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It's time to stop complying together with the system and illustrate your own map. You have brilliance in you, your contribution is necessary, and the art you make is precious. Only you can do it, and you must."
Amazon Special: Hugh MacLeod Reviews Linchpin Hugh MacLeod is an artist, cartoonist, and Web 2.0 pundit whose blog, gapingvoid.com, has two million distinctive monthly visitors. His first book, Ignore Everybody, was an Amazon Top Ten Business Book of the Year and a Wall Street Journal bestseller. Read his special Amazon guest review of Linchpin: This is by far Seth’s much passionate book. He’s pulling fewer punches. He’s out for blood. He’s out to do a difference. And this glorious, heartfelt passion is obvious on each page, even if it is in Seth’s usual quiet, lucid, understated manner. A linchpin, as Seth describes it, is somebody in an organization who is indispensable, who cannot be replaced—her role is just far too distinctive and valuable. And then he goes on to say, well, seriously folks, you want to be one of these people, you really do. To not be one is economic and career suicide. No surprises there—this’s exactly what one would expect Seth to say. But here’s where it gets interesting. In his excellent-known book, Purple Cow, Seth’s message was, “Everyone’s a marketer now.” In All Marketers Are Liars, his message was, “Everyone’s a storyteller now.” In Tribes, his message was, “Everyone’s a leader now.” And from Linchpin? "Everyone’s an artist now." By Seth’s definition, an artist is not just some person who messes all-around together with paint and brushes, an artist is somebody who does (and I LOVE this term) “emotional work.” Work this you put your heart and soul into. Work this matters. Work this you gladly sacrifice all other alternatives for. As a working artist and cartoonist myself, I recognize exactly what he means. It’s not what you do, it’s the way this you do it. The only people who have a hope of becoming linchpins in any organization, who have any hope of varying anything for the better in real terms, are those who have the capacity to do “emotional work” at a high altitude—to be true artists at whatever they set their minds on doing. The guys who just plod all-around the office corridors, just turning up for their paycheck.... Well, those guys don’t have a prayer, poor things. The world is just too interesting and competitive now. And Seth then challenges us, the readers, to become linchpins ourselves. To do the jump. To become artists. To do emotional work, whatever the sacrifice may be. It’s our choice, and it’s our burden. Seth won’t be there to catch us if we fall, but to become the people we want to be eventually, well, we probably wouldn’t would like him to, anyway. Congratulations, Seth. You have penned a real gem of a book here. Rock on. --Hugh MacLeod
Customer Reviews
It's simple to make a difference... make a choice   2010-03-11
By salmon guy (British Columbia, Canada)
Great, fun read - as usual for Godin. Sure, as some other comments point out, there is lots of literature out there with similar messages; however, Godin has a storyteller touch. He's certainly got his formula down for selling his words, ideas, and thoughts -- but he's worked hard at it. Nicely done. Sure, he's known as a marketing guru -- yet so many of his books have this message of get out there and be someone - make something of yourself. The factory mentality is everywhere; look at the old feeling of getting a government job and settling in for the next 40 years. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you're into - but then what the hell you going to do when the bubble bursts and you're laid off in year 29 because of government cutbacks across the board. Know what you stand for and go out there and stand for it. There's a saying I have on a poster on my wall: "It's simple to make a difference... make a choice". Wise words, and certainly implicit in Godin's message in this book. I track his blog daily. Love the short, concise posts - and sure some of the books are sometimes the blogs reproduced. So what - they're timely messages. Complaints from folks about wanting the message for free - flooey... Godin gives tonnes of his time and messages away for free (that what a blog is). I've used his blog posts and books to inform many of my posts on salmon-related issues on the West Coast of North America. [...] specific to this book [...]
Effective Psychology At Its Best   2010-03-11
By Joe (Houston)
Seth is a great wordateer. His ability to provoke even the simplest worker into action astounds us all. By getting 1000 readers of his book to take a small action such as walking 30 feet far surpasses the achievement and contribution to society of one person climbing Mt. Everest (29,035 ft). I have already internalized and practiced his words long before they were published. So, reading his book has confirmed my need to find effective ways to become indispensible, i.e., a Linchpin. Once you learn how to break through the barriers after reading this book, you can do it again and again. Back in 2007, I and a colleague calmed our lizard brains, took action, and reached out to NASA to try to convince them with hard evidence that they needed more storage space on our glorious space station. At first they scoffed us, but after more than two years, the seeds we planted finally sprouted and they spent $30M to modify a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module on the last shuttle mission so it can be permanently attached to the space station as a stowage facility. Our small initial actions turned into a huge payoff for our customer. Today, NASA is taking storage space much more seriously than in the past. They are now concerned with collecting ideas to address the growing problem of trash removal from the space station. Rest assured and right or wrong, I will be fully fueled with ideas and an approach to an affordable and practical resolution to this growing problem, with no real fear of reprisals, especially now that this book is published and I can live these words.
Passionate, provocative .. insightful!   2010-03-10
By Kevin Quinley (Fairfax, VA)
A passionate and provocative manifesto for today's knowledge worker! Should be "must reading" for anyone in today's work force who wants to remain employed.
Linchpin Award tells you what I think of this book   2010-03-06
By Michael P. Chaffin
I could tell you how this is Seth's best work yet. Or how it's a true gift to you, your family and your colleagues. It's all of that. I was so moved by the concepts that I created a Linchpin Award for the Capital Hotel, which replaces the traditional and unremarkable employee of the month award. See the first presentation... [...]
Full of Life and Wisdom.   2010-03-06
By Cornelis Van Der Bent (Here)
Linchpin is not about businesses and jobs; it's about life, and is full of wisdom. Seth Godin paints a true picture of who we humans are. Then, he leads ways to finding ourselves, each other, and our place in this world. This book touches hearts, and changes lives. Read/Listen it!