Using Your Super Power and Being Indispensable.
As part of my summer concentration on books written by Seth
Godin, I recently read his 2010 Linchpin:
Are You Indispensable? It ties to
many of the themes I summarized in my post,
“Leaning In” as a Woman Lawyer, found here.
Godin argues that with so many means of direct communication
with so many different “tribes” in a hyper-competitive world, each one of us
can make an indispensable contribution, as a linchpin, to a business, art, project, or something
we care deeply about. You have the
choice of being indispensable. Just make
it.
He defines linchpins as the “people who own their own means
of production, who can make a difference, lead us, and connect us.” “The linchpin is an individual who can walk
into chaos and create order, someone who can invent, connect, create, and make
things happen. Every worthwhile
institution has indispensable people who make differences like these.” They
are artists and givers of gifts. They
bring humanity to work. They have vision
and engagement. They help the
organization fulfill its mission.
We live in a revolutionary time that gives each one of us
the opportunity to bring our “best sel[ves] to the marketplace and be rewarded
for it.” Each one of us can chart our own
path and create value as we go.
But the path involves difficult work. The tasks require “maturity and soul and personal strength.” And, you must be motivated by the right reasons. You must be “brave enough to make a difference.” You must be bold and think bigger.
But the path involves difficult work. The tasks require “maturity and soul and personal strength.” And, you must be motivated by the right reasons. You must be “brave enough to make a difference.” You must be bold and think bigger.
Linchpins do not wait
for instructions, but identify and choose the next steps. They
can chart those steps with confidence because linchpins “understand their
subject so deeply.”
The linchpin understands that the work requires him or her
to make something happen every single day!
Knowing that “changes what you do all day.” So many opportunities exist to lead. So many things need to be done. So many situations offer a way to contribute.
The seven abilities of the linchpin are:
- Providing unique interface between members of the organization;
- Delivering unique creativity;
- Managing a situation or organization of great complexity;
- Leading customers;
- Inspiring staff;
- Providing deep domain knowledge;
- Possessing a unique talent. It’s a superpower!
“The 'super' part and the 'power' part come not from something
you’re born with, but from something you choose to do, and more important[ly],
from something you choose to give.”
In contrast, most individuals respond to the messages of their “lizard brains” and avoid situations that feel risky, threatening, difficult, or generous. These folks “want [a] pretty safe skill to be enough. Enough to make you valued, enough to make you fairly paid, enough to make your life stable. But it’s not. It’s not enough because in a very connected, very competitive marketplace, there are plenty of people with your pretty safe skill.”
Amen. Choose to be remarkable. Choose to be indispensable.
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