After reading the first section of Linchpin (Intro - 38) and the second section (39-48), watch this video by Thomas Friedman, which Mr. Zutz actually shared with the staff last year. Then leave two connections to what Friedman is talking about and what Godin states so far in Linchpin. Then leave two comments or reactions to connections left by your classmates.
Thanks
Once you are done with that, watch this TED Ed video on leadership by Simon Sinek and complete the "Think" questions and the prompt under "Dig Deeper" (you can create a Google Doc and share it with me for this part) and finally the "Discussion."
In the prologue, Godin has a great quote: "One day, people are going to remember what you did. They might remember that you did what you were told, and that you were good at being responsive to instructions. Perhaps, though, we'll remember that you made an impact, a connection and a difference."
ReplyDeleteI think the former part of that quote, the part about following the instructions and doing what you're told is over. I think that is what Friedman means when he says "average is over."
There aren't going to be many jobs left (many jobs that you want anyway) where you simply show up and wait to be told what to do.
The last part of Godin's quote, the part about making an impact, a connection, and a different is what Friedman is talking about when it comes to taking fully advantage of the hyper-connected world. Your generation has so many tools at its disposal (most of which are free) that it's a damn shame if you don't use them to make a ruckus (using Godin's terminology).
My generation - for the most part - had to wait around to be told to do something or wait for permission.
Your generation - you don't need permission. Go make change. Go make an impact.
Friedman notes that our modern world of our global economy that it's the best time to be #1 . . . not #2.
ReplyDeleteThis relates to a key concept expressed by Godin - not so much in Linchpin yet - but one of his most important points from The Dip - that once you survive the dip, you have a shot at becoming "the best in the world."
Obviously, this Godin and Friedman are hitting on the same thing: your world of work will demand you to be remarkable, unique, insanely talented, or to stand out. There simply is too much choice on the part of consumers (who have more choices in the market than ever in the history of the world) and your boss (who has access to an insane amount of talent).
So if you survive the dip, you will be on your way to becoming a linchpin. A linchpin is anything but average.
The world is going to be split in two; HIE's and LIE's. High imagine enabling countries and low imagine enabling countries. The high imagine enabling countries are going to do far better than the low ones.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with that concept. We need to open our eyes and realize what great opportunities we have all around us today!
Being average is over. Your boss can get above average with in seconds, whether it being a machine, cheeper labor, or cheeper genius'. You need to strive to be the best you can be and be able to take risks on creativity. Do not be afraid to be different and think outside the box.
I complete agree with your thought about the HIE's and LIE's. People do need to open their eyes and see the opportunities.
DeleteI'm not sure I entirely agree with your first point. Although countries that have more innovations are doing better, I don't think this is because all those counties lack innovative minds. People living in those places, are either victums of crippiling poverty, or of oppresive goverments. Any sort of innovation will be geared to addressing those issues, and with limited resources. Saying that these countries are unsucsessful because of stagnent creativity seems to general of a way of looking at it.
DeleteI agree with your second point 100%. Be the best you can be and nobody can take anything away from you. Take risks and be prepared to fail in order to be successful.
DeleteI agree with your second point. So much is changing in the business world that we need to be ready for anything. And is order to be successful you have to be the best at what you do.
DeleteI agree with both but the second part more. If you try the best YOU can nobody is going to question weather or not you truly tried your hardest or not.
Delete1. Godin says on page 39, "and we've been taught to fit in." People need to realize different is good. Like Friedman said now days once you have a spark of an idea you can run with it. Some people are afraid to have a new idea that's not normal or doesn't fit in but that's what the world is looking for. They both agree that different is good.
ReplyDelete2. Average is now over, both Godin and Friedman make this clear. They both state that your boss has access to above average things in a moment. They don't want workers you can just follow rules or a map; they want someone who can create their own path, and be irreplaceable.
I completely agree that people need to realize that different is good. Dare to be different. Godin says the only way to be indispensable is to be different.
DeleteI agree that bosses nowadays want people to be irreplaceable. Anyone can fill a position and do the same task day after day, but people who are different and do things that no one else can do is rare, and therefore important to that particular boss. Being different is good in this job market we are entering into.
DeleteI agree that people need to stand out. In industries with hardcore competition, you need to be exceptional, and being exceptional also means being unique. Your first point reminds me of a quote I found on pinterest: "Don't be afraid to go out on a limb; that's where all the fruit is." People are nervous about their ideas because they don't want to screw up, but if you are smart about some the risks you take and 'go out on a limb' it could be worth it in the end.
DeleteI completely agree that creativity is good! This is why I feel bad that the first classes to go at schools are art classes. Not everyone is creative in art per say, but the people who are creative artistically are being held back.
DeleteI agree that different is good. I think now days we live in fear of "different" and are afraid society will judge us.
DeleteI agree on creativity being good. If your not creative you don't let people see a side of you who truly represents what you're about. Were afraid to be ridiculed by being different than everyone else in a society were everyone wants everyone to be replica's of one another
DeleteI agree with your first point. Our whole lives, we have been taught to be normal and to just fit in. If you really want to succeed you will have to go beyond the norm of society.
Delete1. It is not good to be average in this job market. We have so many opportunities to do something creative for our jobs, like being an entrepreneur or an author. Being a "replaceable cog" is not going to be available in the future for our generation. Tom Friedman said it best, besides Mr. Seth Godin: "Average is over."
ReplyDelete2: I like how Tom Friedman explained how this generation has far more opportunities than other generations. We have Amazon, where we can send in a manuscript to be turned into a book for free, or turn your invention into a reality easier than before. It makes me think of Linchpin since Godin explains the same in his book about our generation having more use of creativity in our jobs.
I agree that our generation has far more opportunities than any other generation. They should allow us to use our imagination, and not follow by the rules. These things could lead to great things for out generation, as well as the ones to come.
Delete"We have so many opportunities to do something creative for our jobs. . ." I agree with this, and believe that most people limit themselves from this like Godin says. Some people even are raised believing that it is bad to be "different" and you are considered well-rounded if you do something so simple; fit in. We have brought that way of thinking into the building blocks of our jobs or careers and it has limited us from being creative, and set out for bigger and better things than what is expected out of us.
DeleteI love the idea of more opportunities but at the same time, who's sorting through all of those books that get published for free? This kind of thing is increasing the competition for other products, in this situation books.
DeleteHigh imagine enabling countries and Low imagine enabling countries. Friedman says the countries that enable are going to thrive and the ones that don’t will fall farther and faster. I agree with this concept. We all need to realize the opportunities that are presented to us in today’s world.
ReplyDeleteWhat They Should Teach in School
Only two things:
1. Solve interesting problems
2. Lead
I completely agree with this. Students shouldn’t be forced to answer questions that they can find in a textbook or on the internet. Most of the time kids forget the answers to this question because it’s not engaging and there is really no purpose to know the answer.
I agree that students shouldn't be forced to answer questions that they find in references. It is completely engaging and the student doesn't really use their brains to find the answers; They just look them up in books or on Google.
DeleteI agree that schools should teach kids to solve interesting problems. By doing so, they are forced to think and use their imagination to come up with an answer.
DeleteI agree that schools should challenge the creative side of us. Most of the questions on our assignments are googleable. That's why people lose creativity with age. We aren't exercising that part of our brain.
DeleteYou're right that schools need to step away from the standardized tests. That's not the way the real world is, so why teach us like that? They need to focus more on making us problem solvers, artists, things that will actually help us in the long run.
DeleteI completely agree with the second point. Students need to be taught those two things not some of the other pointless stuff. I also think students don't pay as much attention to questions that aren't intersting, I think you make a good point there.
DeleteI agree with your second point. Schools don't give us problems that will make us use our brain to come up with an answer. In most of my classes people would just look up the answers on google.
DeleteI agree with your second statement. Schools should start teaching their students to lead and to solve interesting problems. If you ever get to the point in your life where you need to be a leader, you will not have the skill. If you teach students early on, they may have a better chance at succeeding.
DeleteThe world will be split between HIE's LIE's. The High Imagine Enabling countries are going to thrive. Coming up with new ideas that no one even wanted to begin the process of making.
ReplyDeleteThe life of average is over. Everyone had access to above average things. Tom Friedman says that your boss has access to above average low paying employees, above average cheap geniuses.
The life of average is indeed over. Anyone can be a cog in a factory, but people need to realize that being extraordinary is the key to success in today's world.
DeleteWe can't be average today. Technology has made it easier for consumers to find the best of the best in almost every industry. If we are average, we are easily replaceable just like the factory 'cogs' that Godin keeps stressing. If we work our way up to Linchpins, we'll never be out of a job. Companies will want us to work for them because people don't want average.
ReplyDeleteHIE's and LIE's. High imagine enabling countries and low imagine enabling countries. HIE's will thrive. All you need is an idea. You need to be highly imaginative. At this time in age, there are so many resources to bring an idea to life. We need to be aware of opportunities around us. We need to be in touch with our creative side.If we are creative, and aware of opportunities and resources, we can do great things that change lives.
I agree with your first response, and the funny thing is people don't yet realize this because they are not ready for change. It is hard to remold your idea of what the building blocks of a career or job should be ,or what you as an employee should do and not do.
DeleteI agree with both points you have because why would people want to change something that's not broken. We are scared of changing because we don't know what will happen in the future.
DeleteI don't know if I agree with saying that every one has to become extraordinary. I think that the new average is something more akin to people having to be really diverse in how they do their job. For instance, if you are an I.T. guy, maybe you know a really obscure programming language, and besides the basics, most of the people in your group know really random languages. Everyone is important because they all know something that the others don't. But they are average because they still only know like four languages each.
DeleteSorry... wall of text.
Your point about consumers having an easier time finding the 'best' is completely true. Consumers are a big reason why we must not be replaceable. Similar to what Godin says about consumers being attracted to uniqueness.
DeleteSeth Godin and Tom Friedman say that big companies that give you cheap stuff in high quantities are generally more successful. I agree with this because larger companies can create and sell more products faster.Although this is true, people are starting to want higher quality and more uniqueness to their designs. This can only be created by smaller businesses or individual people.
ReplyDeleteThey also agree that "Average is officially over." People don't want so much cheap labor anymore. They want people who can work efficiently and come up with new ways to do things. People want Linchpins.
Do people really want quality though? I mean, I can go to a really expensive designer silverware store and get a really expensive set of spoons. But, I could go to wal-mart and get an almost identical set of spoons for way cheaper, and even buy more. I'm not saying quality is way better, I just think that people sometimes just want to cheap easy option because it's cheaper and easier.
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ReplyDelete1. Tom says that it is not a good time to be average because in the hyper connected world average is officially over. Now Godin also says something very similar on page 6, he says "The rules were written just over 200 years ago; they worked for a long time, but no longer." They both believe that average is overrated and in our future creativity holds a larger stand.
ReplyDelete2. Tom also says there is no more developed and underdeveloped. I'm not sure if I completely agree with this because I think in all it depends on the setting of your life, and yes, maybe way in to the future there will be HIE's and LIE's but not until we make the changes that Godin expressed when he was talking about education for example. He talked about how education plays a big role in life lessons and however we approach them throughout our schooling is how we will most likely approach them in the real world. He talked about how we need to have better teachers, and solve "interesting" problems. I think after we have accomplished this, then HIE's and LIE's will play a huge factor in industries.
I completely agree with your second point! Friedman's on the right track, just a ways ahead. Things are going to change before they're how he described them. Godin is more accurate for this time. We need to innovate our schools first, then the HIEs and LIEs will come.
Delete1. On page 47 Godin states "Being good at school is a fine skill if you intend to do school forever. For the rest of us, being good at school is a little like being good at Frisbee. It's nice, but not relevant"
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. Parents, teachers, adults, all put so much pressure on kids to do well in school. But what if school just isn't your thing? What if you're into art, or mechanics is more your thing? Those jobs and careers don't depend on how well you do in school.
2. Average is over.
I also agree with this. In order to survive in the world today, you have to be at the top of your game.
I agree with you on both of these. Especially the first point. That is one thing that I realized right away, school isn't going to help you be impossibly great in the career you go into. Sure you may gain some knowledge from school. But most likely you will forget most of the things that you learn in school.
Delete1. What They Should Teach In School
ReplyDeleteTwo Things: How to solve interesting problems and how to lead.
Right now some teachers do this, but most of them don't. Most of the teacher in the world, today teach us from the textbook. They force us to answer boring questions that most of us just look up on the internet to find the correct answer. They should give us more interesting questions, ones that will engage us and make us actually want to come to school. Questions that will make us use our creativity. Many schools also lack the ability to teach us how to lead. Not many leaders come out of our schools today. They need to teach us to strive to be different, to create new things, to think outside of the box.
2. Average is over.
This is one statement that both Godin and Tom said. I completely agree with this statement. We should try to be above average if we want to succeed in the world today. We need to be different than everyone else. Stop following all the directions and think of new ways to do things.
I agree with the schooling point. We are taught one certain way in school which includes one correct way to write, communicate, and we are drilled that there in only one right answer. By going through life like this, we know not to question the difference between right and wrong. There is more to life than school but we rarely get the chance to explore what else is out there.
ReplyDeleteIf you are extraordinary, you are going to go far in the modern world. The age of mindless drones doing pointless work for pointless pay is over. We are at a point that if someone comes up with an idea that is new, innovative, and chic, that person is going to go far.
ReplyDeleteBoth Godin and Friedman claim that average is over. What they mean by that is that in order to do well, or flourish in society, people with have to find the courage to stand out and be better or different. Doing that will make you a remarkable person.
I don't know if I agree with that. There is always going to be an average. If everybody is extraordinary there are going to be people who are extra-extraordinary and people who fall below.
I agree with your second point. Average may be over but that does not mean it will no longer exist. It is inevitable. I do agree that in order to be remarkable there has to be another side which would be not as remarkable, or average.
DeleteI agree that it's impossible to have everyone be succesful. Not everyone can have great success.
DeleteI agree. We need to be extraordinary in order to be successful, especially in today's world. Average is over, because it is to normal. Normal doesn't suffice anymore, going above and beyond does.
Delete1. I don't agree with the fact that you need to be number one. Yes, J.K. Rowling is doing much better than Stephenie Meyer, but Stephenie's still doing better than most. I'm not saying to settle for second, you should always strive to be the best. I'm saying coming in first isn't as essential as Friedman made it seem. For the most part, you can still survive being second. On the other hand, one could argue that being second isn’t good enough on a personal level, which I can agree with wholeheartedly. You’re still upset when you lose, even if it’s only second place.
ReplyDelete2. Average will never be over. Yes, you should try to be above average, but imagine if everyone else did, too? If we're all above average, we're all just average again. This is an absolutely wonderful thing. As average increases, so does quality of life. Everyone is striving to do the best they can, which makes it better for everyone else. It's a non-stop struggle to the top that you'll reach for a while until someone else catches up, but we're all better for it. You're still not above average, but the average itself is higher. Average as we’ve come to know it is over, but there’s a new one to replace it.
I'd have to agree that average will in fact never be over. There will always be some type of "standard". Whether or not the line of what standard is considered is the question.
Delete1) Tom Friedman explained how are generation has more opportunities and chances than other generations. We have different websites we can use that can turn a manuscript into a book! Like Sam said, it made me think of Linchpin. The way Godin explains in his book about our generation having more use and opportunity for creativity.
ReplyDelete2) Both Freeman and Godin flat out tell you that average is now over.Your boss' now have access to things that twenty, even ten years ago, seemed so out of reach. Why would you want an employee who simply follows the rules down to the punctuation? Instead, they're looking for someone who can think outside the box and come at something from a new perspective and is always looking to try something new.
On page 39, Godin states that, “We’ve bought into a model that taught us to embrace the system, to spend for pleasure, and to separate ourselves from our work.” If you have a career that you truly love, it will be your life. That isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that you have to live in your place of work, it means that you love it so much that you won’t be able to stop thinking about new and better things that you can do with it.
ReplyDelete“Being good at school is a fine skill if you intend to do school forever.” I love this quote because I feel that doing well in school is way too stressed. People get caught up on getting an A on the assignment even if it means that they will not learn anything. It is more important to actually learn the subject being taught rather than focusing on getting an A.
Both Friedman and Godin talk about how above average labor is being paid at an average or even below average price. Being paid at a lower price than the labor deserves can only be avoided if we do not follow the system since the system is setup to lead to an average job. Godin states, "it's becoming clear that people who reject the worst of the current system are actually more likely to succeed."
ReplyDeleteIt's a great time to be an entrepreneur. That statement is what Friedman's main focus is. With technology and our increasing intelligence, the resources to become successful are right at our finger tips, it's our choice to go out and find them. Using these resources to their full potential would be more than beneficial for a linchpin.
I definitely think that if you're failing in a world with all of these resources than you are absolutely not trying or taking advantage of the technology at your fingertips.
DeleteFriedman and Godin say it clearly; you need to set yourself above the rest and not be average. By being above the average and being different, you don’t set yourself up for failure. Being different is what this world not only wants, but needs. Being irreplaceable is the key to success in the world we live in today.
ReplyDeleteHigh imagine enabling countries are going to set themselves apart from the others. Low imagine enabling countries are falling behind the HIEs, and will continue to fall behind if they continue to be average. Average is over, creativity is everywhere, and we need to take advantage of it.
In both Linchpin and Friedman's video, they are exclaiming that you must be remarkable and irreplaceable in this new generation. I agree with this outlook for trying to better yourself for your career, however, I don't believe that average will ever be over. The line of what average is is where the most people are, if everyone is remarkable, than no one will be remarkable.
ReplyDeleteAnother point that each Friedman and Godin both make are that this new generation will be filled with new and creative careers. Careers that require you to become an artist of your profession. Freidman and Godin both argee that to be successful you must incorporate the new age of technology and innovation. I agree that technology is and is going to continue to be a main skill for getting ahead in your career and life.