Hugh MacLeod is an artist, cartoonist, and Web 2.0 pundit whose blog, gapingvoid.com, has two million unique 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 exclusive Amazon guest review of Linchpin: This is by far Seth’s most passionate book. He’s pulling fewer punches. He’s out for blood. He’s out to make a difference. And that glorious, heartfelt passion is obvious on every 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 replacedâher role is just far too unique and valuable. And then he goes on to say, well, seriously folks, you need to be one of these people, you really do. To not be one is economic and career suicide.
No surprises thereâthat’s exactly what one would expect Seth to say. But here’s where it gets interesting.
In his best-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 around with paint and brushes, an artist is somebody who does (and I LOVE this term) “emotional work.”
Work that you put your heart and soul into. Work that matters. Work that you gladly sacrifice all other alternatives for. As a working artist and cartoonist myself, I know exactly what he means. It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it.
The only people who have a hope of becoming linchpins in any organization, who have any hope of changing anything for the better in real terms, are those who have the capacity to do “emotional work” at a high levelâto be true artists at whatever they set their minds on doing. The guys who just plod 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 make the leap. 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 need to be eventually, well, we probably wouldn’t want him to, anyway.
Congratulations, Seth. You have penned a real gem of a book here. Rock on.
--Hugh MacLeod
Product 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 that organizations and people care deeply about."
In bestsellers such as Purple Cow and Tribes, Seth Godin taught readers how to make remarkable products and spread powerful ideas. But this book is different. It's about you - your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose.
There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art.
Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. Like the small piece of hardware that 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 best jobs and the most freedom.
Have you ever found a shortcut that others missed? Seen a new way to resolve a conflict? Made a connection with someone others couldn't reach? Even once? Then you have what it takes to become indispensable, by overcoming the resistance that holds people back. Linchpin will show you how to join the likes of...
*Keith Johnson, who scours flea markets across the country to fill Anthropologie stores with unique pieces. *Marissa Mayer, who keeps Google focused on the things that really matter. *Jason Zimdars, a graphic designer who got his dream job at 37signals without a résumé. *David, who works at Dean and Deluca coffeeshop in New York. He sees every customer interaction as a chance to give a gift and is cherished in return.
As Godin writes, "Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It's time to stop complying with the system and draw your own map. You have brilliance in you, your contribution is essential, and the art you create is precious. Only you can do it, and you must."
I'm disappointed in SethMarch 13, 2010 John Seiffer(Milford CT USA) It's not that this is a bad book - it's an over done topic. Seth does his typical entertaining job of telling stories that illustrate ideas that are sometimes insightful, sometimes obvious, and sometimes over simplified to the point of being wrong, but usually motivational. I'm disappointed that Seth has turned away from doing that in the realm of marketing to doing that in the realm of personal development.
I heard him speak at the launch of the book tour and someone mentioned that he'd been criticized for writing a self-help book. He replied "Self help is the only kind of help there is" If that were true, no one would need a doctor. As someone who was in the self-help world for quite a while, I know there are cases where it's useful. I also know there are cases where it blinds and limits people to focusing away from reality. It's like sugar - enticing, and yes our bodies need it, but those who love it most can be the ones who over indulge and are harmed by it.
This may be an OK self help book (I'm probably too jaded to judge) but don't be misled. That's what it is, and I'm disappointed.
InsightfulMarch 13, 2010 Eric Makelky(Montana) This is the first of Godin's books I've read, but I was very impressed. I was approaching this read from the perspective of an educator, but Godin's bountiful wisdom seems applicable for people in all businesses and roles.
Some of Godin's ideas initially seemed pretty abstract (be an artist) but he does provide some concrete suggestions for becoming indispensable in the workplace. I felt like you can apply 99% of his suggestion, and I cannot argue with any of ideas. With the current economic situation in our country this book will certainly give you a leg up on the competition.
This was a fairly easy read, and if you have any motivation to become more valuable at work, Linchpin is well worth the $11.
So simple, and yet...March 12, 2010 SlowX(New York, NY) This book rocks with a simple message: Ship, and ship often.
OK, it's not that simple, so Seth gives reasons, examples, and straightforward inspiration.
Bottom line is that the world is changing and the ways we're used to doing things simply won't work for much longer; in many cases the change has already happened, and certain jobs have vanished and will never come back. However Seth offers hope in quality, passion, generosity and art. It's an aspect of this book that I love, that it's about art, be it painting, accounting, music or engineering.
Well, art, and the lizard brain. heh
Read his blog to get a feel for his short punchy style, and if that works for you, then this book may help you transition from being a mere cog, to being an indispensable linchpin.
It's simple to make a difference... make a choiceMarch 11, 2010 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 BestMarch 11, 2010 Joe(Houston) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
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