"But this book is different. It's about you - your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose. There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art. Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. Like the small piece of hardware that keeps a wheel from falling off its axle, they may not be famous but they're indispensable. And in today's world, they get the best jobs and the most freedom. Have you ever found a shortcut that others missed?"

"This paperback edition with a new preface published 2011"--Title page verso.

The new world of work -- Thinking about your choice -- Indoctrination: how we got here -- Becoming the linchpin -- Is it possible to do hard work in a cubicle? -- The resistance -- The powerful culture of gifts -- There is no map -- Making the choice -- The culture of connection -- The seven abilities of the linchpin -- When it doesn't work.