As we know, this world can be roughly separated into 2 groups of people – The capitalist – the people who have the capital and can build the “factories” for the workers to deliver the outputs. The workers who sell their time for work in the factories to deliver the outputs.

Seth Godin understands the current changing world economic environment very clearly and talks about a third group – the linchpins. People who own the means of production of their outputs.

So who are the linchpins?
They are the new class of people who determine their own road map in life. They use their passion to create work and they are adaptable to changes in the political and economical landscape. Most of all, they are extraordinary and enjoy what they do.

But, what have we being brought up with?

Let us look at the current method of training of children.
They are sent to school and disciplined to the system. When they conform, they get better grades. The parents are happy with the child’s progress because the teacher is pleased.
When your grades are good enough, you can go to University or further training.
If you cannot, you drop out of the educational system. It will be difficult to be employed as employers who want you to have “trained” and perform as in the system. Because they have been trained by the system.

When you are trained, you work in little boxes doing the standardised “work” as stated in the protocols within the manuals.
As a result, the country is producing a nation of standardised people. It becomes a sea of mediocrity where the workers do a “same standard work” patterns. Insecurity develops and become fearful of change.

So how do you became a linchpin or become indispensable?

Seth explains in the book what a Linchpin is and how to become one. Interestingly, he goes through the biological reason for the fear of change and then suggests the various approaches and methodologies that can be used to counter this. He also talks about the power of gifts (abundance) and this is the basis of the freemium model of doing business, currently used very successfully on the internet.

Far more importantly, there is a meetup throughout the world on Monday – 14th June 2012 at various locations where all the linchpins can get to know each other. The London meetup

Based on my analysis of the time dimension of Feng Shui, we are currently in the “age” of the individual and the importance of networks; groups of people with like minded interests.

Linchpin (Are you indispensable? How to drive your career and create a remarkable future) – Seth Godin
ISBN – 978-0-7499-5335-5

Dr Michael Oon

As we have thousands, it would take thousands of man-hours to do the task properly. Therefore, I would like to find out the ideas and experience of others in this task.

Did you hire someone to do it?
Is there an auto feed scanner for photos?

Any ideas or experiences would be most appreciated

Many thanks

Dr Michael Oon

I have been at a manor house in the Cotswold for a week and spent most mornings in the reception area which had wifi. Also doing that morning activity, was a retired senior miltary officer from Canada who enjoyed his time in the Cotswold whilst doing his Masters at the Miltary Academy in Shivenham. We chatted talked about many things but it was extremly interesting to see his view point on many subjects.

As expected from his background, he believed very much in control and order (aka management). The quality and effectiveness of management were usually the centre of his arguements, more akin to the mindset of “Closed, Selective and Controlling”(CSC). I was coming from the viewpoint of a self employed person and was not accountable to anybody for my actions but more akin like “Open, Random and Supportive” (ORS).

He quite rightly described the UK is currently, a nanny state, where there is state aid from the baby to the assistance for the elderly amongst other benefits. It is essentially over-managed. However, the UK, is one of the smallest countries in the world but was the richest country at one time.

He described USA as poorly managed, missing out on many Governement/management issues that have been addressed in Canada and the UK. He described Canada as a well managed country, which the UK was once before the nanny state came in. I agreed with his assertion that having a nanny state with an 11% deficit is extravagant.

The main point of this discussion was, as Canada was the best managed, why was it not the most prosperous? The UK was, at the start of the 20th century less managed but the richest country then?

My point is, it is the people that matter, government doing managment – this kills personal initiative and drive. That is one of the reasons the USA is the most enterprising country at the moment. This happened in the UK when there was less government management – in the Victorian era.

We did not define the meaning of managed but I am assuming – managed meaning regulated.

The point I am driving at – it is the people that matter.

In Penny Power’s blog on Sunday “Business : Are you still talking?” ( http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=146839) lamenting on the use of Social Media that she had not envisaged.

Just like in Social networking, it is the people that matter. Government and Corporates are systems and in many occassions, stifle innovation and creativity.

I am preparing a blog why it is difficult for corporates to work with Social media compared with traditional media.

Dr Michael Oon

From blog album

The choice is between Apple iPhone and the Google Android operating system phones – Nexus One or HTC Desire,

From blog album

How do I make a decision?

As a member of ecademy, I subscribe to the attitude of “Open, Random and Supportive” (ORS) as opposed to the old attitude of “Closed, Selective and Controlling”(CSC)

It is generally known that Apple products are CSC whereas Google products are ORS

Shall I make a decision based on the attitudes of the technology companies behind them?
Choose an Android phone like the Google Nexus one or HTC desire (ORS) and not an Apple iPhone (CSC)?

Dr Michael Oon