Linchpin

Are You Indispensable?

By: Seth Godin

Narrated by: Seth Godin

Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

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

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)

"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)

amazing information

phenomenal insight, and strong wisdom. this will be a book I revisit to get everything that's there.

Phenomenal book

Phenomenal book. I'm currently listening to it a 2nd time to make sure I squeeze more out of it.

worth it!

here is a book in story story with excellent narration. this book allows you to see things clearly make choices. Can use it it's a Game Changer and life changer. Well presented and clearly understood.

leader, ceo, boss, teacher, pioneer, indigo, You gotta read this!! and the rest of you too :)

This book jumped to my favorite book rack in a single page, It is amazing! Thank you Seth

Spot-on and totally amazing!

This is undoubtedly the best business content I have taken in, in many years, maybe ever. The content resonated with me on more than one level, and the encouragement to do what I am doing is certainly a blessing. And I very much appreciate author Godin caring enough about his art to take the time to do the Audible recording. I didn't just listen to this book – I ate it, and it has been quite a satisfying meal I must say!

Impact Theory Book #6

Great performance from the author. Speed 1 is a good speed once through, but easy to listen to on speed 2. Contents of the book are amazing and paradigm changing. I have done a lot of broken down tasks for work and this book is inspiring me to make what the author calls art.

loved every minute

It's definitely one of the greats, I perfectly puts context into seeing yourself and your work through the lenses of an artist and why it's important in the post-industrial economy.

How to be valuable in today's rat-race.

Where does Linchpin rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Linchpin was a good book. For me it seems to be a good mix between a business strategy book, a positive psychology book, and a self-help book. I rank this highly as a book that can remind us of where and how to find our place in society and give value to our community and loved ones. Although, like many other reviewers have noted, it doesn't tell us exactly how to be a linchpin, it does provide a useful compass for which direction to go to become one.

Any additional comments?

In today's rat-race, we definitely need to be reminded about how we can find value in what we do, and how and why we should be doing things we love and that are valuable to others. It's just too easy to get complacent or lose focus, even though there are so many people out there competing for the same things you want and may be working harder or smarter to get it.

A must read for all!!!

Awesome !!! I have listened to this recording seven or eight times already. Excellent for getting you fired up to go take on the world.

Gives me the courage to do my job

If you could sum up Linchpin in three words, what would they be?

EMPOWERING. FREEING.

What did you like best about this story?

I listened to half of this before the first day on a new, challenging, open-ended job and it has given me the courage and guts to do what needs to be done. I don't know how things would have gone if Seth hadn't been there encouraging me through the inevitable self-doubt that I see in myself, in new hires in so many roles, in friends with their jobs, and in even the most experienced employees or managers. Now a few months in to my job, I'm picking it up again and listening every few days on my commute to remember who and what I need to be to make a difference. THE BEST BUSINESS BOOK EVER WRITTEN, PERIOD. Reminds me of what I love about my job and that I don't need to be perfect to be good enough and make great things happen.