Are You Indispensable?

Seth Godin is a well-know author who has written some great books. His latest book, "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?" will be one that becomes a "must read" for 2010.Our world of work has trained us to be compliant, follow the rules kind of workers. There's a book, a map, a policy manual, and as long as you do that, you're considered a "good worker." And yet, what that really means is you end up being a cog in a wheel, and quite replaceable at that. It leads to people being commoditized. Not our work, but the people themselves. In many industries there is talk about commoditization, and this book is an eye opener, showing it is often the people that get commoditized, not just the work they do. We're taught from the time we are in school the importance of fitting in, being sure that we are "average," and when we step outside that box, there is always someone there to pull us back in line and make sure we are compliant. What is sad is that we build that in people when they hav
e so much more to offer.Companies sometimes even look for that in a person. It is not uncommon today to hear an employer say "we don't want someone who thinks they know how to do something better than the boss, we need a person who can follow OUR way of doing things." That comment would have saddened me before reading this book, however, since I was in the middle of reading it, it really was almost heartbreaking. It's all around us. There is a story of a woman who was told by her supervisor, "If your boss tells you to do something, you just do it, no questions, no thinking, just do what the boss wants, that is how you survive here." A brilliant, talented woman with so much to offer, and yet she is being trained into submission. You may hear someone say, "I just want someone to tell me what to do and I'll do it." Again, a very talented, creative person who has been taught that compliance to the rule book is the way to success. The examples could go on and on.Godin defines lin
chpins as ones who invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. A linchpin doesn't care that there is no map or rule book, they just figure out what to do. He calls what they do creating art. Each day becomes a work of art for them because they love what they do and put their best selves forward. Each day becomes a work of art for them.He also speaks of the "lizard brain," that part of us that is afraid to not fit in. So many times the lizard brain gets in our way and we end up listening to it instead of doing what we can to really make a difference. It is our culture that has engrained this into us, from the time we were kids, being taught that you need to fit into someone else's view of what "normal" is. Sadly, because we are afraid of being ridiculed, the lizard brain often wins. In addition, I think that today's economy creates such a fear of one losing their job that often the lizard brain wins because we get in
a mindset of "this is better than nothing." How sad.The challenge is to really take a bold step to look at who you are and what you want to do to create your own art. What can you do to connect with others and really make a difference? Sometimes you can make that difference right where you are. Create a work of art. Don't ask permission, just do it. Sometimes it may mean stepping away from the place where we are and going in a completely different direction, away from the familiar and routine. However, in doing that, we find true freedom and the ability to truly make a difference. That is amazing.This book has the power to change lives, IF you read and apply it. If you are ready for something different in your life, something that reinvents you, this is a must read.

View this post on my blog: http://www.yourgamebook.com/are-you-indispensable.html