It's been an interesting year for energy. I knew I needed something to help lift me through to the end of 2017 and help to gain some momentum heading into 2018. I've had Linchpin by Seth Godin sitting on my nightstand for a few months and now seemed like the right time for this wisdom.
The main crux is that in order to be an indispensable* person or business you need to be racing to the top rather than the bottom.
The bottom looks like trying to be cheaper than everyone else. Or creating so many rules and procedures that anyone can replicate the job (which today means the clock is ticking before it's a machine). The thing is it's hard to compete here. You're always looking over your shoulder for the person who can do it cheaper and it's only a matter of time before they appear.
The race to the top involves relying on remarkability and human connection. There's emotional labour required to turn what you do, whatever you do, into art. It means we need to show everyday and really care about our work and the people we touch. It means tapping into the unique gifts that we have to share and figuring out how to channel them in to what we do everyday.
*Try not to take this term too literally. Think of it more like how much would they miss you if you were gone? I agree that anyone whether employee or product can be replaced; however, how easy is it to do that?
Being a Force for Good 