This evening, I attended a Linchpin Meetup at Gangplank in Chandler, AZ. I didn’t know what to expect as I don’t usually attend book-related discussions; but I found it valuable. I discovered there are many key lessons and interpretations of the definition of a Linchpin.
A Linchpin is …
- Someone who is irreplaceable, indispensable and continually provides value.
- Someone who produces significantly more value then they consume.
- Someone who isn’t afraid of failure (or afraid of success).
- Someone who forges strong, trusting relationships.
- Someone who shares gratitude with no expectation of anything in return.
- Someone who doesn’t produce work that can be achieved by a Mechanical Turk.
- Someone who applies creativity into their work.
- Someone who is passionate about their ‘work’ not their ‘job’.
- Someone who challenges status-quo.
- Someone who’s work is never ending and affords endless rewards.
Beyond that, Tyler Hurst led the discussion and drove group participation through peer-to-peer engagement. His leadership was that of a Linchpin. I found the experience very helpful to learn additional dimensions of the book and the movement of Linchpins. The greatest thing about it was listening to others’ perspectives on the same book. It added depth to my own understanding and I feel others have felt the same way.
If you haven’t read Linchpin yet, I recommend you do. Trust me when I said this entry only scratches the surface of the content contained within it. It’s a fairly easy read and it reinforces points all throughout the book so you don’t forget the topics and lessons from the beginning.
Do I consider myself a Linchpin? Honestly, no. I’m okay with that; I feel I have many qualities of a Linchpin, but not all of them. On the other hand, I don’t think any person can objectively say they are (or are not) a Linchpin. I feel it ultimately depends on the contributions they make towards their cause and let those determine if they are indispensable.
