It's time to rethink how you do your job, Seth Godin believes. Instead of working to become a better cog in the company machine, learn how to become a "linchpin" - the vital piece of hardware which holds the wheel onto the axle.. If you want a job where you are treated as indispensable, given massive amounts of responsibility and freedom, expected to expend emotional labor, and rewarded for being a human . . . then . . . it's time to stop complying with the system and draw your own map."

Godin has great authority on which to base his theory: he founded and served as CEO of Yoyodyne, which was acquired by Yahoo! When he became vice president of direct marketing at Yahoo!. In Linchpin, he gives the reader guidelines on networking, how to use emotion to elevate your work, and how to share your work ("real artists ship", as Steve Jobs famously said). Don't surrender at the first sign of trouble: if you fail, at least you'll fail forward. He also provides 7 abilities linchpins have, such as providing a unique interface, and inspiring others.

In today's economic times, every employee must learn how to be a linchpin. Seth Godin's ideas are invigorating and valuable.