Linchpin is a small pin that keeps various parts of a wheel together.
In our world, we call them humans that are indispensable to an organisation.
While a linchpin does a lot of paddling like the duck, there are some things that they categorically always do:
Owning the job: No job is small or insignificant. Having the courage to do it and get the team along is what makes them indispensable.
Don’t require follow up: If a linchpin owns a job, they own it completely. We won’t be required to follow up with them, and when they are running late, they will be the first to inform.
Owning outcome versus output: Output is what is required from us. Outcome is the magic we create beyond what is required from us.
Owning the output is having to do the task; owning the outcome is wanting to do the task. Linchpins sign up for the latter because their work signs for them.
Rewards and accolades alone don’t make linchpins.
Being a linchpin is a choice — the competition is scarce, and we make that choice each day as who we are.