In his book Linchpin, Seth Godin separates the cog, a part of the machine that is easy to replace, from the linchpin, who is not. These are the three habits that moved me from one towards the other.

Key takeaways

• Add something of your own to every piece of work, even a two-line summary.
• Do the work that is obviously coming before anyone asks for it.
• Never take a problem to your boss without a proposed solution.

1. Add your own value to every task

If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you are getting. Art is valued because it is hard to find and carries the mark of the person who made it. Work is the same.

A small example: your boss asks you to research a topic and build a presentation. When you send it, put your own takeaways at the top of the email as a short summary. It takes ten minutes and it changes how the work, and you, are read.

2. Do not wait for orders

Compare two scenarios:

1. Your boss gives you a task. You do it.
2. You work out what needs doing and do it. When your boss raises it, you say it is already handled.

The second scenario is where reputations are made. Look for the work that is likely to land on your desk anyway and start it early.

3. Bring solutions, not only problems

Finding problems is easy. Finding solutions is hard. Early in my career I believed my job was to spot the problem and flag it before it grew. After a couple of years I realised I was adding very little.

What works is to identify the problem, think through a solution yourself, and then say: “I have found this problem and I think this could be the fix.” More often than you expect, the answer is “go ahead with your solution.”

It also helps to see it from the other side. The higher you move, the more accountability you carry and the less you do with your own hands. A team member who arrives with a solution lowers their manager’s load, and that builds trust quickly.

How to start

Pick one piece of work this week for each habit. Add your view to one deliverable, start one task before it is assigned, and take one problem to your manager with a proposed fix. The effect builds up over years, not weeks.

FAQ

How can I grow faster in my career?

Take ownership of your own development: add distinct value to your work, act proactively, and bring solutions when you raise problems.

What does it mean to be a linchpin at work?

In Seth Godin’s book Linchpin, it means being someone whose contribution is hard to replace, as opposed to a cog who can be swapped out easily.

Related reading

• Getting Things Done: what actually works
• 15 lessons from Scrum

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