A few weeks back I was eating lunch with a friend. Besides the amazing pulled squash sandwich, nothing was out of the ordinary. The conversation, which is par for the course, touched on topics ranging from sports to life to books and all the overarching themes that go along with each.
We came to the topic of work and she explained that she wanted to create big shoes to fill. When she came into her job a number of years ago, the bar was set low. Embarrassingly low. So low that I became intrigued and we carried on with this topic. Her career had take a turn for the disappointing… Or so you’d think.
What Would Seth Do?
It’s no secret, I love Seth Godin. I write about him all the time. He mentors me, he helps me think creatively, and he’s opened my eyes to a number of impactful insights. Among these are the problems with the education system, the need to take risks in your marketing, and how to be consistent.
Most importantly, Seth has taught me about being a Linchpin. Being a Linchpin means being an artist, not just doing what is listed on the job description. Being a Linchpin means bringing your best self to work and giving effort where it’s not expected. Being a Linchpin is about challenging the status quo and not being afraid to stand out.
Many of you are Linchpins and you don’t even know it. My girlfiend, Katie, she’s a Linchpin. Everywhere she goes she knows someone. Literally, everywhere. It’s that personable attitude that she brings to work every day. She’s never too busy to talk with customers or co-workers or even the mailman. Coincidently, because she’s so outgoing, she leaves a mark. Katie fantastic at her job for many reasons, but when you connect with other human beings, you bring something that can’t be taught. Ifso facto, she’s irreplaceable.
Becoming A Linchpin
Back to my delicious pulled squash sandwich and career-talk. As our conversation drifted through my friend’s career, we talked about where it started and where it had come to. They had intentionally raised the bar during their tenure in said position. They weren’t satisfied with doing the bare minimum. They wanted to push the edges and give more than was expected.
Nearly a decade later, they have created big shoes to fill for whoever comes next.
They didn’t start on Day 1 and say, “I can handle more!” (Side Note: Making this announcement rarely moves your career forward, it just enables someone to dump their busy-work off on you) Instead, they did the work that was expected… then kept working. They didn’t go home when their job description was fulfilled, they went home when they had made an impact. They didn’t ask for more work, they just did it.
That’s part of being a Linchpin, a willingness to try. But trying isn’t the hard part, it’s the occasional failure that stings. What dull your shine are the reprimands you might face if your ideas aren’t accepted by your superiors. The, “why are you making us look bad,” comments are what make you want to go back to coloring in between the lines. It comes with the territory. Your willingness to be wrong has to outweigh your desire to fit in with the pack.
Even worse than being put back in line is dealing with your success. Now you have to top your last feat. Now people will expect more out of you. Now you’re a leader. So give the people what they want and become irreplaceable like Katie. Yes it’s going to be hard, if it was easy everyone would do it.
So will you be the kind of person who brings your shoes back in the same condition you were given them? Or will you be the kind of person who needs new shoes every few months because you’re constantly outgrowing them?
I highly recommend Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
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