Michael N. Dundas

Linchpin by Seth Godin was a really good book and was released at the perfect time in my life and career.

Linchpin discusses many topics including how it is necessary for individuals to exert emotional labour while at work, the need to stand out and be indispensable, how our brains are wired to naturally resist becoming a linchpin.  How management, history, and school has taught us to follow the rules, work hard and you will be rewarded and why this no longer will ensure a happy and prosperous future.   These and other concepts are tied together very well, and give the reader a new perspective.

For some it will drastically change their perspective on work and their interactions with others in all areas of their life.  For others that are already on their way to becoming a linchpin, it will provide guidance and ideas for growth and improvement.

While I believe that many industries will and do resist the ‘Linchpin way of thinking’ due to historical concepts of what worked in the past, eventually it will take hold in all industries.  It has to, and this becomes more and more obvious as you read the book.  The previous and in some cases current ways of running businesses, working with customers, and fellow employees are no longer viable.  Clear real world examples are given as well as science to back up the concepts and ideas presented.

Although the entire book was excellent, two sections that ‘registered’ with me on a very intimate level were More cowbell and Honest signals in every day life. More cowbells is something that I have realized my mother taught me growing up.  Basically, if you are going to do something then do it.  Don’t do it half way, or partially, do it.  Honest signals in every day life discusses concepts such as micro-expressions and the basic idea that we as humans naturally detect who is honest and sincere and who is not and we react accordingly.  The non-verbal communication registers with us much more than what is said.

A few of my favourite quotes:

When your people do what they do because they love it, it works. Even if they’re not as technically adept as the competition.

The reason start-ups almost always defeat large companies in the rush to market is simple: start-ups have fewer people to coordinate, less thrashing, and more linchpins per square foot.

It is okay to have someone you work for, someone who watches over you, someone who pays you. But the moment you treat that person like a boss, like someone in charge of your movements and your output, you are a cog, not an artist.

People are not going to follow you because you order them to …. Linchpins don’t need authority. It’s not part of the deal. Authority matters only in the factory, not your world.

People follow because they want to, not because you can order them to.

The linchpin is able to invent a future, fall in love with it, live in it — and then abandon it on a moments notice.

Management, entrepreneur, leader, worker, mother, father, or spouse there is a message for everyone.  All in all this book is about growth.  Learning to become a linchpin while respecting the needs and concerns of others.

In addition, here are some great quick videos, where people speak about Linchpins.

I was recently given via Michael Hyatt at Thomas Nelson Publishing a copy of the book Derailed.  The book was written by Tim Irwin.  In the book, Tim discusses what he feels are the reasons why leaders fail as leaders and gives insight into how to avoid these situations.

The first part of the book profiles 6 CEOs of major companies that failed as leaders.   Each leader is analyzed and what Tim feels are their weaknesses and the reasons why they were asked to resign from their position.  While one can argue that the opinions are subjective (and they are), I found his rational to be sounds and made sense.  Regardless of the subjectivity, anyone can learn from the mistakes of these profiled individuals and help themselves be a better leader.  I found myself identifying with the character flaws of these individuals.  I have seen them in many people I have worked with and even myself at times.

The rest of the book discusses the derailment process.  Finally, based on the profiles and the derailment process, Tim Irwin identifies and discusses five lessons that can be learned by anyone in a leadership role and ways to implement these lessons and keep yourself ‘in check’ as a leader.

I found Derailed extremely valuable for myself.  It was well worth the time to read and would suggest it to really anyone that interacts with other people at work.  Although the book profiles CEOs of large organizations, it is very applicable to anyone, even those not in an ‘official’ leadership position.

This is my first book review, so please bare with me as I learn and improve.  For anyone that views this blog, it has nothing to do with networks, security and is not technical.   In reviewing the book, I agreed to post a review on my blog.  I have also posted it on Amazon.

The X and Y of buy attempts to explain how male and females are different in the way they think and feel and how this affects companies ability to sell if they are not aware of and adjust their marketing and selling strategies to these differences.  The book is divided into 2 main parts.  The first part explains these differences and offers reasons for these differences.  Then using the information on the differences used by males and females to make decision in part I, Part II takes you though how to sell to male and females.  It outlines a 6 step process, as well as some typical sales scenarios. In each phase it gives pointers and steps to use for each gender.

While I liked the first part of the book, I found it to be too black and white.  For example, one concept was the men prioritize and women synthesize.  While it offers reasoning for it’s statements using Paul MacLean’s triune brain theory, this is but one explanation.  While I found some of the concepts in the book to be very useful, I do not believe that male and females are as black and white as this book professes.

If you are looking for a quick book to give you some theories and logic as to how genders make decisions and apply them and are not interested in the many variations that may occur in males and females this book is for you.  If however, you want to dive deeper into how to market and sell to genders this book is merely a very quick introduction.