Seth Godin uses ideas from economics history, neuroscience, paleoanthropology and industrial/business history to convince modern-day employees (especially pertinent during this recession) to change from being cogs in the great industrial machine that we have come to rely upon.

[From the Great Books Series. Also see The Success Manual  - Encyclopedia of Advice, which contains summaries of 100+ Most useful books.]

With Linchpin, Seth exhorts us to take some responsibility for our careers/lives.

Seth says: We must all become linchpins: Instead of waiting for others (management, bosses, companies) to tell us what to do, we should do what is 'critical' and make yourself indispensable.
Seth says: We have come a long way from being hunter/gatherers that worked in small groups for 3 hours per day to faceless workers on a 9-5 schedule that can be interchanged at will.

In a world where the race to top is much harder but also leaves room for infinite winners there is far more opportunity for us all.

Main Idea of the book: It’s time to rethink how you do your job.

How to become a Linchpin
Becoming a linchpin is a skill you can get better at over an extended period of time.

Three main themes in Linchpin:
1. We’re all artists now
2. The resistance: We are afraid of what will happen to us (and to the ideas) if the ideas get out, if our gifts are received, if the magic happens
3. Shipping: Sending a project out of the door. The big idea is - Getting quality projects and ideas out of the door, and doing it on time.

What Linchpins do well
Linchpins become indispensable because they make vital contributions to their firms. They make the map and then exert the emotional labor required to get people to use that map.

Linchpins make themselves indespensable.