Linchpin: Are you indispensable?

Linchpin: Are you indispensable? How to drive your career and create a remarkable future. Linchpin is the word used in the late fourteen century derived from Middle English.

Its meaning is the pin that goes through the axle of a wheel to keep it in place, or A person or thing vital for an organization, or something that holds the various elements of a complex system together.

Means a thing that is essential for organization, house and a country’s strength and prosperity. For example, The monarchy was the linchpin of the nation’s traditions and society. The manager is vital for running an organization. The owner of the house is essential for the household.

Introduction

I know many such people. Who is forced to do those things every day? Which they do not like. They have to hide their real talent, creativity, and skills from this world. Because the world does not honour their talent.

But now the world has changed a lot. Now it’s not like before. Now there is the various medium from which you show your talent to the world. It has been going on for a long time.

That the world expects us to adjust, fit in according to them, and change ourselves as the world wants.

Now the situation has changed. Today there is no place for copies. Everyone needs unique. Think for yourself that why would someone take a duplicate item. Whereas in the whole world there rush to make yourself unique.

Have you ever thought that? Do you live almost the same life and follow the same daily routine? Suppose every day you go to your work. Which you have been performing for the last 20 years.

You feel great or feel boring. You feel boring. No doubt you feel boring and slowly your performance gets down.

But the worst condition comes in your life. When suddenly one day your boss knocks come on your chair and tells you that you are being replaced. Because they have found someone else for less salary.

So what will you do now? I don’t know what is your reaction. Either you will get up quietly and go to your home or you will start convincing your boss. That you also work on that less salary. Where you adjust yourself according to changing conditions.

But I am sure that. If you read this book linchpin: are you indispensable? Your task to find your uniqueness is easy. You will also learn that. We do not have to be a part of the machine culture to change ourselves quickly.

About Author

Seth Godin is the author of Linchpin: Are you indispensable? How to drive your career and create a remarkable future. He is the best-selling author, blogger, trainer and entrepreneur.

Earlier he was in the book packaging and dot com business after that he will start pursuing his career as an author. Whose 19 business books have been published? He also keeps educating people through his blogs.

Chapter-wise review of Linchpin: Are you indispensable? How to drive your career and create a remarkable future.

The New World of Work.

Put yourself in the place of the employer. Now for example, why would anyone want to hire a professional bag designer for more money? Instead, if they can hire 10 bag designers. They will do great and fast work for less than that?

For 300 years, the world was going on this trend and the employer had the advantage in this. But now in the new age, such work is not done.

Take the example of a construction worker Hector. Hector follows the same daily routine. Wakes up every morning at 5 am, then goes to the corner bus stop and waits.

He daily along with 6 other people. who are also construction workers like him? Waiting for a passing truck to take them for the job.

And when the truck comes, the driver picks only 3 of them. He does not have any fixed choice, he takes those who are cheap for him.

For him, they are all the same. Whether you believe it or not, you are also like Hector. You send your CV for a job in a company.

Your CV is put in the bundle with thousands of other people’s CVs. In which the company has no interest. Because there is no difference between you and other people. So you do not get that job.

This happens because they want a CV. Which is different from others. Fulfil the needs of the company. There is no such unique thing in your CV. That the employer should consider you.

The Law of Mechanical Turk states that. If a project is broken down into small and reliable pieces, it can be done almost for free.

Take the example of casting words.com. This website revamps voice recordings or talks into written form.

Do you know, how this website works? They break the voice recordings into several pieces. And then divide those pieces into many employees.

Each employee transcribes his part. And then the final product is prepared by connecting all the parts.

Casting words pay the rate of one minute transcribed is 19 cents to every employee. Now if you compare it to two dollars per minute, which is the rate of professionals, it will still be very cheap.

And here the Law of Mechanical Turk applies. So instead of spending $80 on each project, the client has to spend only $15.

And what’s worse, most bosses want to see employees be the next Mechanical Turk. So would you like that? In today’s world, there is no need for a machine man.

Which company have already? They need the human brain that makes the machine with his creative ideas. So how will this problem be solved?

It’s simple, you have to be the linchpin. Linchpins meaning are artists. They do not work like a machine at all.

They do not like to work under the rules and most of all, linchpins have no alternative. James is the owner of a small factory. Where cheap clothes are made.

For his factory, he conduct an interview, and he realized that he had 3 choices. Either he hires a perfect worker. who can earn him $ 40 per hour? Or he should hire a good worker who earns $ 35 or he should hire an average worker who earns only $ 30 per hour.

But the problem is that. James is in doubt whether the person whom he selects is the perfect worker or an average worker. Until he hires the workers and gives them work to do. To show their performance.

That’s why he has to pay everyone the same price in the beginning. He will pay $ 30 per hour. So James paid all the workers the same amount for the listed amount of profit could be compensated.

So, the perfect workers were taking less money than they deserved. After Some Day they leave the company. Because they do not find the salary according to their performance.

So in this way, perfect workers are exploited by the employer treating them as part of a machine. A man is known in his career not because of. What he is, but because of what he does.

If we want to be independent then we have to be different. You have to bring the values and emotions that customers and employers want to your work.

It means to say that you have to stand out in a crowd of millions and show yourself as different so that people notice you.

Thinking About Your Choice.

Do ask yourself a question. Are you indispensable? Come on, let’s answer it. Yes, you can be.

And let me tell you that many other people are indispensable. And it is also important to know that not all those people were born with any superpower that would make them independent.

Rather, he has worked very hard for it. These people have become independent through their hard work in this world of dispensable people.

You have two choices.

One person thinks that for success. You have to defeat someone. The other person does give importance to defeating anyone. His emphasis is on making a win-win situation. Means before starting the game. Make sure he wins.

Kim Berry is the chief of the Programs Guild. He had been pressuring Congress to give foreign-talented computer programmers the H-1B visa limit number.

Kim takes life in a win-lose situation. They think that every foreigner. Who works in the U.S. is a programmer.

Because of that, the chances of Americans are reduced. But why can’t we take life as a win-win situation? Why don’t we see the market as vast and expandable?

Why don’t they think that foreigners are getting developer jobs? Then they will create something good. And this will also give more opportunities to local talents.

You would always think that. Successful people have some extra ability and skill. Something that you do not have. But it is not like that.

Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence formula frees India. Nelson Mandela freed south Africa from prison. There are many more people who did not have anything, yet they achieved success.

Once upon a time, there used to be an American dream: “Work hard, do as you are asked to and you are going to get rewarded”. The dream is “Be Different, Create Value, Be Passionate, And You’re Going To Get Rewarded”

Be The Linchpin, Be The One The Company Can’t Easily Replace. And That Will Be Your Biggest Reward.

When You Become the Linchpin, linchpin means, You Get Your Job Enjoyed with even more passion. Because you stay connected with your customers.

And if you are an employer, then hire the linchpins. Who do you think will give you the most profit?

The one who does exactly what he says, without thinking. Or the one who creates art, who is passionate about his job and makes such products that customers can connect emotionally?

Also when you hire linchpins, then your business also becomes a linchpin. That is, absolutely unique, and this logo. Helps to connect people on a larger scale. Linchpin employees create value.

They love their work. These people are free spirits who do everything perfect. I want a linchpin for your company, then you have to be a linchpin.

Becoming the Linchpin.

Linchpins are the need of every organization. They keep the organization together, without them the company cannot move forward.

The more value you create in your job, the less time you will have to spend on the job. This is the law of linchpin leverage. You have to be creative and extraordinary for only a few minutes throughout the day.

The rest of the time you just do normal stuff for the rest. Creativity is that little thing that gives shape to your whole work. That is, it makes the task easier and more connected with the customers.

And then gradually your earnings also increase. Marissa Mayer is one of those people who helped give shape to Google and develop it. He is a perfect example of a linchpin.

Marissa knew how to create value in her job. He used his art to create a user interface that was able to connect emotionally with customers.

Because of them, people prefer Google over other search engines like Yahoo or Bing. However, other search engines also provide the same search result.

Marissa knew that optimal search results are important but not the most important. He knew how to connect the customers’ needs with the programmers. Gradually creating a user interface. That is the best in the world today.

Suppose you have a cafe where four servers work. Three of them do their job perfectly while the fourth one does well. Although this fourth waiter knows. How to handle the problems daily. If someday it comes to removing the employees. Who will you remove and whom will you keep?

You will not remove the problem solver at all. Problem-solving is a part of any job. And this thing can neither be taught nor explained.

Because this thing comes from experience. As the doctor stops suddenly and talks to his patients or listens to them, understand their needs.

Or a barista himself should go and ask the customers how their day was. Or a pilot should come out of his cockpit and silence the crying child.

Even a small sweet gesture of yours can change people’s opinion about you. This can make you a linchpin. So take time out of your work and listen to people, take care of them, and take care of their needs.

What will happen to you in this? If you can stay for a few moments and connect emotionally with people and make them feel important? Linchpin: Are you indispensable?

The Resistance If you create a masterpiece?

Art that no one has seen before, but your resistance always stopped you. So what is the benefit of that art? If you do not show them to the world. That’s why shipping any product is as important as creating.

When you try to adapt to shipping the first time, your work may get messy. But this is a normal thing. Now, for example, Saturday Night Live is a Tv program.

This show comes every Saturday night. Whether the work is done or not. Honestly said, sometimes this show is very bad but those people do not stop it. The show goes on and then the next Saturday audience gets a great performance.

So whatever you do, keep shipping your performance. But why is shipping so hard? Why do some projects fail in shipping? This happens because of two major challenges.

The first is threshing and the second is coordination are the two reasons behind the resistance. Threshing means adding small details to a big project and fixing it or making a better. Suppose a company develops a game.

According to the rule of sipping. The threshing should be done before the deadline is coming. But generally the more the deadline gets closer, the threshing starts.

Don’t get this thing wrong? It does not mean to say that threshing should not happen at all. However, it also has the right time and place.

So hurry and fix your product too soon. Threshing as quickly as possible is good for the companies and customers. For delivery or ship the best product to your customer.

Coordination is another challenge. For example, if you are introducing three people. Then handshakes will happen three times. But when you add one more person. It will result in six handshakes.

So by adding more and you will get more handshakes. Often less handshake is the reason. Why start-up businesses are more successful than big companies?

Due to the low employment of start-ups. The coordination among themselves becomes easy. All are well known to each other. But in id companies, people do not know personally to each other. And this sometimes creat problems.

But what about the region of resistance?

Resistance is basically “lizard brain”. It’s the child brain of your brain, always scared and hungry like a child. Its only goal is to survive.

It doesn’t care about whether you are successful or not. It just has to stay alive. That thing is resistance. Your lizard brain restricts you from moving forward.

Just opposite our daemon is the brain, in Latin daemon means genius. We all have a daemon who always combats against resistance.

Whether you will be successful or not depends on who will win your inside, your lizard brain or your inner daemon. But how to get rid of the resistance created by the lizard brain? How to beat it?

It I quite simple. Write down your deadline. Write it on a big piece of cardboard and attach it to the wall.

This is the first and most important step, make a threshold for shipping. No matter what, you will be shipping on that day. Whether you have finished or not.

Second Step: Write down every single idea that comes to you. Whether you write a postcard or make a small cheat sheet. Write whatever comes to your mind. Help people and take their help if needed.

What is Next? There’s your product today and now, don’t wait for the deadline. However, it will be difficult. Because it is a challenge for your lizard brain.

The deadline is however far away and Lizard Brain is not in a mood to do anything. To control the lizard brain, whatever comes to your mind, write it on the cards and tell your colleagues to write it too.

Then organize all those cards in a database. And clearly explain to your partners that. This is the last chance to thrash.

And of course, the deadline is far away. But this will be his last chance to think of ideas. Then just take this blueprint or summary to your boss. Only take it to the person who will decide. What the final product should be like.

Ask the boss if he liked the blueprint and if not, what changes should he want to make. Finally, ask them some questions. Once you deliver, what else do they need, if they want some changes, Do it right now? If he asked do it. If he refuses it, then give him a warning. At the time of delivery, you do not do treating.

If he said “we will determine only after seeing the final product”, then don’t accept it. Lastly, complete your product and ship it at the right time. Because linchpins do the same thing.

The Seven Abilities of The Linchpin.

First, linchpin means, building a vigorous relationship in your organization. Linchpin companies don’t want people to work just for monetary purposes. Do they want employees, who have an interest in the job? Who has the right reason to do the job?

A very big example of this is the $ 2,000 offer given to an employee. Who leaves the job at Zappos Shoe Company? The purpose of Zappos behind this is that. They want that all employees have the right reason to do their job for the company except for monetary reasons.

But if an employee is working only for money, then Zappos will give $ 2,000 to him and ask him to leave the job immediately. Zappos wants to see its employees creative. Which helps make them the linchpin.

Second, linchpin means, delivering unique creativity. Deliver your unique creativity. There is no end to unique creativity. Everyone in this world does unique creation. You can always do something. That no one has done before. Don’t forget to deliver your uniqueness and creativity. Try it to deliver on time.

Third, linchpin means, managing or handling complex issues. As a linchpin, you are the troubleshooter for the organisation. Your organisation hope that you solve or handle any situation.

But the exam time for anyone comes. When an unexpected problem is knocking on your door. If your get overcomes the problem. You are the linchpin.

Fourth, linchpin means, leading the customers. Connect emotionally with your customers and always be flexible about their needs. Give each of your customers an experience of satisfaction that directly touches their emotions.

Fifth, linchpin means, Inspiring your staff. Work cannot be done by showing fear. You can’t scare your employees with your hiring and firing attitude. And you can not say to your employee to be creative forcefully.

You have to inspire them, and for this, you give them a chance to show your real talent. They should feel that their work and suggestion matter to you and your company. They are an important part of the company. And only you can make them feel this way.

Sixth, linchpin means, providing deep domain knowledge. No matter how knowledgeable you are. It doesn’t necessarily help you become a linchpin.

Because no matter how much knowledge we have? In this world, there is a lot that we will not know. Anyway, nowadays all knowledge is available on the internet.

That is why along with knowledge, we should also have the ability to make smart decisions.

Seventh, linchpin means, having a unique talent. Have you ever wondered what is unique about you? What is it that can become you different from others? If you do not know then discover it.

We are not talking about average strengths here like the proficiency to follow orders or rules. Rather, we are talking about those skills here. Which makes you unique from others.

A quality that is only in you. And when you develop such quality within yourself. You will find it difficult that nobody notices you. Because there will never be anyone else like you.

Remind once more that not everyone is born with a unique talent, but we can develop our talent. We can call it an achievement.

Linchpins know about any particular thing. Also, work hard to develop uniqueness within themselves. And this is the hugest disparity between linchpins and normal people.

Work on the qualities that make you the linchpin. Develop them and try to be even more batter and more unique.

What if my boss won’t let me?

There are two situations in this. The first is that you are in a place where your boss will not let you be the linchpin. He will not give you a chance to be creative.

But will make you do what he wants, that is, he will only give you the orders that you have to follow.

So, several questions are rumination in our minds. why am I wasting my time in such a position? Am I getting a chance to learn and grow? If not then I will never be happy in this job.

You do not deserve these positions at all. So it would be better to leave such a job. The second most common situation is that. You think that your boss will not let you be the linchpin.

But in reality, you have never tried to be the linchpin. Because you are too scared to do so. Indeed, your boss is not going to save you.

When the higher authority asks questions about any of your performance. Then only your boss will have to answer.

That’s why we have to sell our plan to the boss first. It is very important to take them with confidence. So what do you have to do about this? It’s simple, improve your skills.

Gain as much experience as possible. And when the time comes to do a real talent show, you will have a lot of experience. And you will have more control and time to do your task.

So don’t ever ask what the company will do for you. Rather think about how you can become a valuable asset to the company.

Conclusion

Conclusion of Linchpin: Are you indispensable? How to drive your career and create a remarkable future. Given the circumstances of today’s workplace, it is very significant to be a linchpin.

In today’s time, there is no place for cogs that just follow orders. You have to be the linchpin to survive. If you are not indispensable, it may happen that one day you wake up and find out that you have been replaced.

The company has hired a person who is taking less salary than you. And believe that your boss will not have any problem in doing this.

On the other hand, if you are the linchpin, then you are a valuable asset to your company. Giving someone else your place will not be so easy. Because you are one of the few people on whom the company rests.

According to this book, linchpin: are you indispensable? There is a lizard brain and there is a daemon brain inside all of us. This Lizard’s Brain wants to survive somehow.

Whether you are successful or not, it doesn’t matter. Lizards are afraid of taking brain risks and this is their biggest weakness.

On the other hand, the daemon inside us provokes us. It anchors us to take risks so that we can become independent. Now you decide who will win. Of your lizard brain or the daemon inside you?

In this book, you learned about the Seven Abilities of Linchpin. And the meaning of linchpin. First: Don’t work just for the money. Second: Deliver creative work. Third: Learn to deal with difficulty and Fourth: Stay connected with your customers. Fifth: See what impact your job has. Sixth: Take smart decisions and Seventh: Develop your unique skill.

No company trusts its employees overnight. Trust is something that we have to earn as well. Why would your employer take the risk unless there is a solid reason?

That is, you have to prove yourself first. Don’t ask what the company can do for you, rather think about what you can do for the company.

This book linchpin: are you indispensable? will teach you how to be a valuable individual for your company that no one can replace.

Best of luck.

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