I just finished reading Seth Godin's book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? I don't remember the last time I took so many notes while reading, and I wanted to be sure to document my main takeaways. It won't surprise me at all if I end up re-reading this book in the future.
Artists are indispensable linchpins. Art is scarce; scarcity creates value. Gifts make tribes stronger. Organizations will always strive to replace replaceable elements with cheaper substitutes. But generous artists aren't easily replaceable. So artists are different.
—Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
In this book Seth defines artists as linchpins, but this isn't a limiting factor for he believes that anyone can be an artist. Linchpins make things happen (build and most importantly ship), they are generous, they provide emotional labor, and they see the world as it actually is. One of my favorite sections talked about how being surprised is a result of doing your job properly. He urges you to not ever believe you have it all figured out, and that you don't necessarily need to wait for someone else to tell you what to do next. You do not need to ask permission to do your job better.
It is difficult to summarize all the tidbits Seth shares in this book. I will say it has helped me rethink how I approach my job, and I truly recommend it to anyone who wishes to become indispensable at work.
Every successful organization is built around people. People who do art. People who interact with other people. Men and women who don't merely shuffle money, but interact, give gifts, and connect...The result of this art, these risks, the gifts, and the humanity coming together is both wonderful and ironic. The result of getting back in touch with our pre-commercial selves will actually create a post-commercial world that feeds us, enriches us, and gives us the stability we've been seeking for so long.
—Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
