Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
I found Linchpin: Are you Indispensable? to be an excellent read and perfectly timed for me. I was laid off right before Christmas and have been trying to figure out what I should do next. I have a good network and the market is looking better, so I am pretty sure I can get another job, but what type of job should I do? What role should I play; stay running Software Engineering groups, continue with Product Management, look at running operations? Should I stay with start ups or look at larger more established companies? Where can I add the most value while growing my skills? Or should I start my own consulting group? I have had a number of companies approach me for consulting help, why do I keep saying no (after reading Linchpin, I now understand it's probably my lizard brain protecting me from the unknown)?
I loved Seth Godin's message in Linchpin - the rules have changed, workers are no longer guaranteed a job if they show up and do as they are told. We now have to make the choice to be invaluable, a linchpin, or to continue to be a cog in the machine. But if we choose to stay a cog then we shouldn't be surprised when we become commoditized and either loose that job or find it does not pay a living wage.
The good news is we can all choose to be a linchpin. Can you make a difference? Can you create order out of chaos? Can you make things happen? Choosing to do so separates you from the cogs.
We need to find what we are passionate about. Or, more likely, we need to find how to bring our passion to our job. And use our passion to do the best job we can. The best Waiter, the best Analyst, the best Accountant we can be. "People with passion look for ways to make things happen."
Godin does a great job of explaining why it is hard for us to step up and take the risk. Page 101 is where the chapter on "The Resistance" starts. He explains how our amygdala, or lizard brain, tries to protect us from anything that feels risky or threatening. Why it is hard for us to take the risk to do what is right, and becoming a linchpin, instead of just being safe and following the manual (and staying a cog). "The lizard takes over and tries to protect itself."
The book doesn't give us the "answer." There is no map. Seth Godin is not laying out a step by step plan for us. We have to find our passion and start giving our gifts. We need to find our own way to become indispensable; a Linchpin.
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I did a follow up post, to answer offline requests for "what can I do to be a linchpin," on abilities you should have to be a Linchpin.
