Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

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Aug 06, 2010 15:42:13

"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."

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"Self marketing might be the most important kind. What story do you tell yourself about yourself?" Seth Godin

Anne McCrossan, a in her review of Linchpin on Grodin's site Squidoo [...], said that Seth had commented that our depressed economy may someday be seen as an under appreciated chapter in history in the same way that until recently historians thought the Dark Ages were just dark and not a preparation for the Renaissance that was to follow.

Anne also noted that digital transparency is making personal reputation more important than corporate reputation. In addition technical self-sufficiency; computers and other technology can be powerful tools when combined with our ability to overcome fear and access our inherent creativity. Workers whether solo or corporate can seize the power and stand out from the crowd of individuals looking for certainty in these challenging times.

How to cultivate these qualities? Seth Godin employs neuroscience, social marketing, eastern philosophy, psychology and social theory to empower and support the artist (in the broadest sense of the term) in all of us.
But first we need to be clear on exactly what we are working with.

The chapter called The Resistance, starting on page 101 details that, it was powerful for me.
The Resistance, recounts a story about a woman with severe short-term memory loss starring the Amygdala.

Quote from Linchpin--
"Each day she would visit her doctor. He would shake her hand, reintroduce himself, and they would start over. One day, in a fairly unethical experiment, he put a thumbtack in his hand. When they shook hands she was pinched. It hurt. He explained to her what he had done, and of course, an hour later she had forgotten about it.

The next day, though when the doctor extended his hand, she flinched. How did she know about the thumbtack? Her short term memory was clearly gone. She wasn't faking. And yet, she remembered enough to avoid the pain.

This was her amygdala at work. It has it's own memory, it's own survival system in place. The lizard brain stands by, jumping into action whenever basic survival needs are at stake. And when it is aroused, the other part of our brains stand little chance, particularly if we haven't trained for these events.

And so, the conflict. The conflict between what feels good now and what we ought to do. This explains how someone with throat cancer can persist in smoking, or how an obese person who clearly knows better can persist in eating "just one more doughnut." In the face of greed or fear from the amygdala, an untrained person surrenders".

Fear comes up for all of us often at the expense of logic, talent and potential. Seth Godin goes to great lengths in Linchpin to help us zero in on how these phenomena are at work in our lives and what we can do to make a dent in the situation.

Attributes of the lizard brain listed in the book:

"The Lizard Brain on top of your spine fighting for survival...
"Wants to eat and be safe...
"Will fight to the death if it has to...
"Would rather run away...
"Likes a vendetta...
"Has no trouble getting angry...
"Cares what everyone thinks...
"Believes that status in the tribe is essential to survival...

Shenpa*
Here is the definition of the term Shenpa, used by Godin to describe phenomena produced by the Amygdala.

*A t term discussed in "Don't Bite the Hook: Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other Destructive Emotions, by Pema Chodron
[...]

Here is an everyday example of shenpa. Somebody says a mean word to you and then something in you tightens-- that's the shenpa. Then it starts to spiral into low self-esteem, or blaming them, or anger at them, denigrating yourself. And maybe if you have strong addictions, you just go right for your addiction to cover over the bad feeling that arose when that person said that mean word to you. This is a mean word that gets you, hooks you. Another mean word may not affect you but we're talking about where it touches that sore place-- that's a shenpa. Someone criticizes you--they criticize your work, they criticize your appearance, they criticize your child-- and, shenpa: almost co-arising.

Having our ego bruised is familiar to us all. Why do we go over and over it and over it? The amygdyla, our fight or flight mechanism has been triggered.

Some quotes from Linchpin that I find helpful

"Nip it in the bud. If you cant teach the world a lesson, accept it. Don't get attached to a different outcome, sit with the anxiety".

"If you boss has some critical comments for you say `Thanks for the feedback', and repeat the feedback to him in your own words. It only takes 3 seconds and you avoided an hour of pain".

"The quiet strength it takes to withstand the urge to flee builds confidence in those around you".

Seth Godin sat in a meeting with the itch and the squirming for two days. "The "resistance" (another name for the lizard brain) realized he wasn't going to change his position".

"Never let the lizard send an email".

"Accept that human beings are difficult to change. Embrace the uniqueness that everyone brings to the table".

"Perhaps it's not your job to change what can't be changed".

"Particularly if working on that change harms you and your goals in the process".

"Attachment to outcome blinds one to the available choices".

"What's scarce is a desire to accept what is and then work to change it for the better, not deny that it exists".

"Art, generosity and brave action are in demand."

"Do your art only for people you like, people you enjoy."

"A gift is a signal of surplus."

"Giving a gift with no expectation of reciprocal implies abundance. The power lies in the creation of abundance."

"Generous artists aren't easily replaceable".

Regards, Jennifer on Sale!