Seth Godin Rally Cry for the Indispensable
I am 32 pages into Seth Godin’s Linchpin. If you do not know Seth Godin, you will by the time spring hits. I predict his stardom will launch beyond the business world with this book (and beyond his creepily shiny action figure). We are in a world where Hollywood is not the only creator of public talent — where more and more thought leaders gain legions of worshiping fans. Our new DIY life is filled with the opportunities of making or breaking yourself for the world to see online. The power has shifted to the people whether we like it or not.
Godin is throwing down a rally cry to create more little Godins — although he wouldn’t say this. He’d defer to others who are making an impact in this world, those whose names you haven’t heard of. In Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Godin wants you to be remarkable. Indispensable. He’s not suggesting you take this path. He’s telling you that it’s the only way we have any hope of having a bright, economically robust and amazingly more fulfilled future. He’s not promising fame and he’s not promising the easy way out. He wants linchpins to 
rule the world.
A “linchpin” is small but remarkable because it keeps a wheel from falling off its axle. One wheel flying off is a big deal. It’s disaster. Godin is arguing, and pleading at times, for all of us to stop living like rear view ornaments and become that essential piece of hardware that keeps things moving. And, that’s just 32 pages in.
Godin is presenting a case that Patricia Martin presented in RenGen, yet with a different approach and different research. Martin’s approach is focused on the rise of the cultural consumer. Godin is calling for you to join that tribe of cultural consumerism because those remarkable folks will impact our economy and our lives moving forward. I’m bringing up Martin (and there are others) to show that what Godin is articulating and crystalizing has already been in motion. In other words, pay attention to this. We are not just talking about another business book.
This book goes beyond illustrating the marketing prowess that turned him into a thought leader. Godin has stepped behind a pulpit. The sermon he’s delivering is raucaus and lively, hands flying all about with small bits of spittle hitting people in the front row. And, as always, his timing is spot on. Apparently he’s been germinating on this book for ten years. But, he didn’t unleash until right now. Why? Because ten years ago he would have been committed. Releasing this book to the hounds in 2010 has allowed him to illustrate his theory through some real linchpin examples to showcase. But, even more importantly, we weren’t ready in 2000. Think about where you were ten years ago.
I can tell you where I was. I had just moved out of New York City where I was leaving my career in book publishing to strike out as a freelance writer. That bombed. So, I went to work for a company that paid well and provided me with all the security I could want: 401k, ESOP, fully stocked fitness center with paid fitness trainer, massage therapist onsite (company for half of the sessions) and lunchtime mountain bike rides. Heaven, right? My spouse, and all my colleague’s spouses, referred to it as “the country club.” They were right. Yet, I was miserable. And I felt guilty about being miserable so I stayed on. For seven years.
When I left, there was no attempt at management trying to get me to stay. Like the rest of the employees, I was viewed as dispensable. They were good to me but they were good to everyone, in perks, and when someone left, they shrugged their shoulders and found someone else to fill their spot. No one was praised for their creativity. Cold bodies were replaced with warm ones. My job was fine, but it wasn’t for me. And, when I tried to draw outside the lines or break the rules, I wasn’t praised for my independent thinking. I had my knuckles rapped and was told to go back to my desk and do my job — and do the job during the time of day that I was told to do it and in the way it had always been done. What’s the difference between that job and a factory? I didn’t see any so I left. What’s wrong with a factory, you might say? Read Linchpin. To summarize: factory work has punched the creativity and independent thinking right out of us and we all let it happen. That’s where the masses went wrong. The factory owners went wrong because they promised us stability, health and peace of mind. And, look where that got us.
Leaving that job was my first step towards linchpindom. But I only realized that fact when I hit the bottom of page 32 which looks like this (I am not paraphrasing — this is direct from the book):
The New American Dream
Do you remember the old American dream?
It struck a chord with millions of people (in the United States and in the rest of the world, too). Here’s how it goes:
Keep your head down
Follow instructions
Show up on time
Work hard
Suck it up
. . . you will be rewarded. As we’ve seen, that dream is over.
The new American dream, though, the one that markets around the world are embracing as fast as they can, is this:
Be remarkable
Be generous
Create art
Make judgment calls
Connect people and ideas
. . . and we have no choice but to reward you. [end]
Think about that: invest in yourself, not someone else’s promise, and the return is 100%+.
Today, I work at Fathom. The company (owners and team) is very generous with my unconventional ways. I’m not one for process and I could be a lot better at implementing the traditional things that are expected of marketers. Yet, they stick with me and trust in my work, and they also thankfully call me out when I screw up. Fathom is really growing and we, as a company, are on our way towards linchpindom too. We’re not just another firm. And I meet remarkable other firms that are doing everything they can to take charge of their destiny. Because, at the end of the day, the volume of choice has exploded. There are a gazillion creative and branding firms out there — and even more web and graphic designers, marketers, programmers/developers, sales folk, business leaders with lots of initials next to their street cred. So, if you’re in this realm, what makes you so special?
At Fathom, we are constantly asking ourselve this question because we really, really want to know. It’s not about just competing anymore. Your existence should add value. Just existing is suicide. So I say, only 32 pages in, heed Godin’s call because there is no other choice. Our future is in our hands and your ability to be remarkable is right in front of you. Stop asking the “if” question when it comes to finding your indispensability because it does exist. It’s time for the “how” question to be answered. Figure out what it is and make it happen.
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Posted by:
Suzi Craig
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suzi@fathom.net
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I’ve heard mostly positive reviews with a few naysayers. Can’t remember which blog I saw this on – one of the many interviews Godin did to launch I think – but one commenter remarked that it is just more “be all you can be” stuff you can find in any self help motivational book. Can you see any truth in that, Suzi? Is it new thinking or repackaged thinking?
The basic concept, that we all need to focus on making ourselves remarkable, is nothing new.
But, Godin is not interested in being a personal coach. His goal is to connect the dots of “you need to be remarkable” to “because our economy depends on it.” His rally cray is not a personal journey rally cry — it’s a “get off your arse because if you don’t, we’re doomed” rally cry.
I say the naysayers are naysaying because they’re scared of what he’s asking, or they just don’t understand how he’s tying the implications of one person to the masses. In other words, we are the masses! And, if we want to be just another cog in the wheel vs. a linchpin, that’s our choice. But that choice has consequences and the consequences are severe.
Since I haven’t read the book yet (hint, hint) I’m at a disadvantage but…a machine or an economy or a world for that matter can’t survive with just linchpins. Being a cog in the wheel or a brick in the wall is a role that needs filling, too. Because they’re the ones that get stuff done. If everyone is a leader we’ll just spend the dance stepping on each others toes.
(BTW – I’ve seen linchpin misspelled as lynchpin, the definition of which should be “a person that hangs themselves by thinking they are the only person that matters.”
Yes, you are at a disadvantage because I am holding your next read hostage. But, I am almost done.
So, from my take, I don’t see that he is suggesting we all become the CEO of Pepsi. What he’s saying is that if you are working at ChuckE Cheese, find a way to become indispensable before they automate your job. The old method of “I’ll just do this crappy job now until I wait for something bigger to come along” is going to ruin you. If you are the best you can be — which goes beyond just doing the job, such as taking care of customers and doing things that need to be done even if it’s ‘not your job’, and finding ways to turn a potentially bad experience into a great one (because you WANT to and not because it will lead to a pay raise) — you are on your way to linchpinning.
And not lynchpinning because it’s definitely not about holding yourself apart as a star. It’s much more about transferring the hard work from physical labor (which we hold in high regard and which we have a lot of) to emotional labor which starts with yourself but ultimately affects everyone around you. Would you fire the one person at the restaurant who knows how to sober up the chef, can handle the obnoxious customer and trouble shoot when the last order of steaks didn’t arrive? (That’s similar to one of his examples.) You can fire, however, someone who shows up to work on time, does the job that’s expected of them but can’t be relied on to take charge of anything outside their duties.
What we’re talking about, and this is my rally cry now, is a paradigm shift. You can choose to be a cog and that’s cool. But, if you are hoping to survive in an economy that can easily replace cogs, know your reality.
I view your take on Linchpin holding hands with your post on breaking the rules. I am on my feet cheering you on. Realizing that fulfillment comes from having a voice and a purpose that you can control is light years ahead of the “old American dream” as outlined by Godin. I just received the book from Amazon, so I may have additional comments forthcoming as I have barely begun.
Thanks for your thoughts Tia.
Funny — I probably have already, for some reason, been sipping the kool-aid on this per my “make your own rules” post and that’s probably why I’m such an ardent fan of Godin’s linchpin rally cry.
Can’t wait to hear what you think Tia. You are one of my biggest fans and definitely a perfect example of what a lot of people are already doing — taking charge of who you want to be instead waiting for the definition to come to you!
[...] Marketing guys. [...]
This is a great post, and it reflects my actions of the past months. As a result, my company is sending me to your upcoming “Social Media Certification”. I can’t wait!
Courtenay -
I can’t wait to hear more about your thoughts on this – and I look forward to having you join the class!
For more reading on Linchpinness, here is a really interesting discussion I jumped into on an another blog: http://jasonseiden.com/indispensable-i-doubt-it-youre-simply-not-that-important/