Linchpin cover art

Linchpin

Are You Indispensable?

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Linchpin

By: Seth Godin
Narrated by: Seth Godin
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About this listen

 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.

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.”©2010 Seth Godin; (P)2010 Random House Audio
 Career Success Employment Motivation & Self-Improvement Organisational Behavior Workplace & Organisational Behavior Career Business Management Leadership

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Critic reviews

"It's easy to see why people pay to hear what he has to say."
-Time

"Thousands of authors write business books every year, but only a handful reach star status and the A-list lecture circuit. Fewer still-one, to be exact-can boast his own action figure. . . . Godin delivers his combination of counterintuitive thinking and a great sense of fun."
-BusinessWeek

"This book is a gift."
-Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder, The Acumen Fund

"If Seth Godin didn't exist we'd need to invent him-that's how indispensable he is! You hold in your hands a compelling, accessible, and purpose-filled book. Read it, and do yourself a big favor. Your future will thank you!"
-Alan Webber, Founder, Fast Company

"This is what the future of work (and the world) looks like. Actually, it's already happening around you."
-Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com

"Thousands of authors write business books every year, but only a handful reach star status and the A-list lecture circuit. Fewer still - one, to be exact - can boast his own action figure....Godin delivers his combination of counterintuitive thinking and a great sense of fun."
-BusinessWeek
All stars
Most relevant
Great to have the author read this rather than someone who doesn't have passion the subject . Great book. Easy to listen to 😄

Must have must listen must pass on

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Found this Audiobook thought-provoking and stimulating. The concept of a linchpin provides a model to develop yourself to achieve maximum personal rewards, by becoming a person and organisation would miss because of your unique skills.

Concise version - Useful Key Points with examples

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The book is based on the idea that there are key people in a company around which companies operate, evolve, and flourish. Fair enough.

The book then postulates that such people will be increasingly valued as replaceable people become less necessary.

That's the part I feel is highly speculative, and although the view is sincerely and hopefully put, the evidence seems mostly anecdotal.

I get that not everything needs to be research based. Opinions are important too in order to inspire.

But I've seen very little evidence in my own career to suggest that such people are increasingly valued.

Maybe a book before it's time. Maybe the current pandemic will inspire companies to make more of this, and the current drive towards increased diversity in companies.

I very much identify with the kind of person described here. But I'm just like that so I can find the best meaning in what I do that I can, and ideally leave things a little better than when I arrived. But I've learned that in the majority of cases, it's a small ripple in a tidal wave of indifference.

So I am hugely skeptical that this is a big a deal in industry as Seth suggests. As much as I wish it is true, I've come to realise that there's very very few people who 'grasp the nettle'. Actually I prefer to use gloves and make a nice nettle beer. Analogise that.

Opiniated and laudable but lacking evidence

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good place to start a Seth Godin journey. there are a few sentences where the start is missing, I presume it's a recording or editing problem, but it's only a minor distraction.

good place to start a Seth Godin journey.

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If you like Seth Godin, then you'll love his book. If you don't know Seth, then either The Idea Virus or Linchpin are great reads to get to know him. If you are feeling frustrated by life, then I recommend this book as it might be the thing that helps you get back on track, get a grip of yourself and fight to make a difference.

Get a kick-start with Seth Godin

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