Linchpin - Seth Godin

Have you been able to solve a problem that seemed impossible to other people?

Someone has asked you, "Wow, how did you do it?"

Although it was at least once, we have all been able to come up with creative solutions to very complex problems in some areas of life.

So why not look for innovative work solutions that generate big impacts?

None of us is irreplaceable, but we can all be essential. After all, being a key element in the organization we work in is a choice. This involves a lot of effort, it is true, but also great results and satisfaction. To make an impact, you must enjoy what you do and do it as if it were a work of art.

Therefore, quoting Seth himself, "The real question may not be 'what do you want', but 'what do you care enough to compromise with?" Want to learn more about becoming indispensable?

Come with us!

About the book "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?"

Published on the 4th of February 2011, "Linchpin" proposes that you generate impact work that can make you indispensable to your organization.

The author shows how labor relations set a pattern of workers trained to produce and not to think. That's why the work shows what future work will look like and what you must do to stand out.

About the author Seth Godin

Seth Godin is one of the most notable personalities when it comes to Marketing and reference author of 19 best-sellers, including "Tribes", "The Icarus Deception" and "That's Marketing".

A graduate of Stanford University, he also owns the blog "Seth's Blog" where he spreads his knowledge.

To whom is this book indicated?

This book is suitable both for entrepreneurs and for those who are in the labor market and want to stand out and be successful in whatever career you are envisioning.

Main ideas of the book "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?"

• You do not have to quit your job or become an entrepreneur to become indispensable;
• Being a Linchpin means doing what most people could do most of the time, but generating great value at the right time;
• Being generous, trying to connect with others, generating art (a very good job) and accepting to err are necessary characteristics of a Linchpin;
• You must make the choice to become indispensable;
• Your mind will try to resist this change and sabotage you, but you must recognize this resistance and fight it.

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Overview: Introduction

Seth Godin calls Linchpin the person who becomes indispensable in an organization, a genius at what he does. But most of us have been trained not to believe that we are geniuses and that genius is reserved for the lucky few.

The post-industrial revolution form of labor did, in fact, generate workers who tended to be more dedicated than genius. This is because it was what was wanted at the time: obedience, hard work, good executions, punctuality, among others.

For a long time, the reality of the job was: do very well what I tell you to do without question, and I will give you benefits and financial security. But where is a genius on this path that leads to mediocrity (being average)? Probably hidden for fear of being different than the system wanted.

This, then, is the time to make a choice. Do you want to be a genius or still mediocre? This choice does not involve quitting your job and revolting against the system.

It involves choosing to live up to your genius. And yes, we all have a genius side, which may be repressed by years of fear and a desire to fit in. You have value and your contribution is important. So believe it, take responsibility and do it.

The "new American dream" allows it. It is about being good at what you do, being generous, creating art, making decisions, connecting people and ideas, and being rewarded for it.

For employers, it is also important to have Linchpins in organizations. This may mean spending more on them, but it also means getting better results.

In today's market, a lot of people rush to get lower prices to beat a competition that already has unbelievable prices. But with art geniuses (you to your full potential), growth comes from differentiation and excellence.

If you are a worker, remember: you are not a school product, you get what you are looking for and believe. It's up to you to decide to train and differentiate yourself.

If you are an employer, remember: Unlimited work environments or oppression, open the door for talent to grow.

Overview: The Difference Between A Linchpin And An Ordinary Person

Doing the job well enough can make you a great but not indispensable contributor. It is necessary to deliver something else, to generate value.

If you look at the routines of brilliant people, you realize that most of the time they perform tasks that anyone could do. The difference happens in just a few minutes of brilliance.

It was not the report written with perfect grammar and in record time that made the difference. It was the balcony of a new opportunity. It was the identification of a problem that at first no one knew existed. It is being able to make technical teams communicate well with administrative teams.

There are people who are clearly Linchpins, like Jeff Bezos, for example. But you don't have to be the biggest billionaire in the world to be one.

Have you made any purchases because the seller was very nice or convincing? Or are you in the habit of going somewhere because the waiter is very attentive?

These people are also Linchpins.

This waiter, who can calm nervous customers, control a chef's ego and solve problems quickly, is an indispensable piece. In a negative scenario where there was a need to fire employees, he would be. And maybe the waiter who is excellent at being a waiter, no.

These indispensable people combine problem-solving with emotional work. They are able to use emotional skills to make good decisions that yield good results. This is because, often, knowledge or technique is not essential. They are very important, but may not be the only necessary factors.

Unless of course, they are the job or that hiring an outside consultant is expensive or risky. In this case, knowledge is totally indispensable. Knowledge makes us think of school, a place where most of us are trained to strive for perfection and fear of error. This is terrible.

Indispensable people understand that the pursuit of perfection leads nowhere, precisely because it generates fear of error.

Just planning rather than executing doesn't generate errors, but it doesn't produce results, even though the plan is becoming brilliant.

This also does not mean quitting doing tasks like crazy. Just use knowledge, planning, and action in a balanced way. Dismiss only the fear of making mistakes. You will make mistakes at some point, just as you have made mistakes before, and the world is not over.

And as the way to solve a problem is not unique, there are two types of Linchpin: what says yes to everything and what says many no.

Who says yes to everything is people who do not believe there is a problem without a solution. Therefore, these employees will do their utmost to deliver a result.

The other type understands that saying "no" at a time is necessary for a better result to be delivered in the future. And these two types of contributors are indispensable.

Overview: How to become a Linchpin?

Being irreplaceable is a choice.

From that moment on, you must choose to overcome your anxieties and the fear of making mistakes. This will help you make connections, create creative solutions, generate value and make things happen.

For this, choose something that arouses your passion and desire to be better, so it will be easier to use emotional work.

Generosity is also one of the keys. The more you give, the more you get.

This thought of abundance contrasts with the thought of scarcity that most of us have. Offering something to someone does not make it miss you, but it comes back to you in greater quantity.

Of course, this process will not be easy. Our mind is biologically programmed to resist change. It is programmed to sabotage anything that looks like a threat or a risk.

Therefore, to overcome this resistance, you must recognize that it exists and actively fight it.

There is no map or instruction manual that you can follow to become a Linchpin, even though a Linchpin is not guided by manuals or instructions.

But these people have common characteristics that you should look for.

Linchpins value and work on improving their attitudes and personality as it helps them to connect with others.

And communication is an essential tool.

What else would make you indispensable?

• Provide a unique interface between members of your organization;
• Delivering unique creativity, i. e. focused and somehow innovative ideas (which does not mean revolutionary);
• Manage a very complex situation or organization;
• Lead customers, that is, create a connection between them and your organization;
• Inspire members of the organization;
• Provide a broad knowledge of the area in which it operates to make smart decisions and generous contributions;
• Have a unique talent.

There will be tough situations where the market will be tough and the results will below. For these cases, the solution is not to give up and create more art, i. e. more innovative solutions.

In other situations, we believe our boss will not accept our ideas or allow you to contribute to a project. However, the common thing is that this is not true and that the boss's rejection is only in our head.

Of course, he will not take responsibility for your ideas and it will be up to you to sell your solution to him and execute it. But take responsibility and give yourself and the organization that chance.

If you actually work for a company that limits your job to only those you have been hired for and doesn't accept new ideas, you might want to look for another job.

One tip is to focus on making bottom-up changes. Really convincing your boss can be difficult, but interacting with other employees and customers is easier.

If your results with him start to be significant, your bosses will notice you and it will be easier to communicate with them.

Finally, a combination of generosity, humanity, and generosity help you become indispensable.

What do other authors say about it?

In "Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's" Ray Kroc, one of the founders of McDonald's, says to find our differential. Do not be overwhelmed by a mistake that will give you up on your dream. Even the most successful people have overcome many failures that are part of the path to success.

In "Life-Changing Secrets from the 3 Masters of Success", there are several lessons about success, which is linked, according to the work, to a personal plan that must be executed using the powers of the human subconscious.

In the book by Brazilian businessman Flávio Augusto, "Value Generation", he shows how, instead of just working for capital, it is also important to generate value for customers. Creating value in other people's lives will create value for you.

Okay, but how can I apply this to my life?

First, make the choice to become indispensable. Choose a job you would like to commit to and devote to.

Now dedicate yourself to him by taking responsibility, increasing his knowledge, and looking for ways to generate value.

Remember to be generous and to connect with the people around you.

Use emotional work to be more friendly and sympathetic to others and to connect with them. Motivate your team, look for innovative solutions for your customers and problems they didn't even know they had.

Be generous and don't forget that we receive what we offer.

Create art, make a difference, and do something that you believe and respect.

You don't have to quit your job or become an entrepreneur for it, but you need to stop self-sabotaging and committing to what you do.

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