Seth Godin insights on careers

I re-read?The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin?and, to no surprise, recommend it as I have done with other works by him.

The book was released at the very end of 2012 so it is right at the 10th anniversary of publication.

It continued themes that developed in Godin's writings,?related in different ways to some of his?earlier books?including:

• Tribes. We Need You to Lead Us?(2008)
• Linchpin: Are You Indispensable??(2010)
• Poke the Box?(2011)

Taking action, actually shipping, is a key point he makes about really doing work, has continued through the years, including a more recent book, The Practice, released November 2020.

I emphasized in an earlier?post Godin has a unique, somewhat deceptive style that advances?an idea that seems to be him just riffing from his own perspective--he calls his declarations manifestos--yet you realize he has foundation behind the arguments he makes. It is thoughtful rather than just "I think..."

His key points behind?The Icarus Deception?was a culmination of his developing thought process under two larger shifts in the economy and work, that he has continued to emphasize:

• The growth of the Connected Economy, thanks to?the Internet, allowing for the individual freedom to reach out to others, and be discovered by others,?in?ways that were?impossible 30 years ago. The hockey stick growth of Web utility?has accelerated?thanks to?broadband connections, mobility, the rise of social media and general maturation in the digital space for other services that allow you to not only connect but experiment, create and share on a low cost basis.

He explains in Linchpin:

"If the factories are our minds--if the thing the market values is insight or creativity or engagement--then capital is not nearly the factor it used to be.

Today the means of production = a laptop with internet connectivity. Two thousand dollars buys a worker an entire factory.

This change is a fundamental shift in power and control. When you can master the communication, conceptual and connectivity element of the new work, then you have more power than management does."

• The continued disconnection of the relationship of corporate management with labor (that is you and me by the way) as companies outsource and marginalize people and positions consciously or unconsciously due to competition.?The Great Recession provided clarity that we operate in a?New Normal. The appearance of Covid-19 in 2020 reinforced the dynamics of the management-labor relationship even if labor has the stronger hand, so to speak, in the short run. In the newer environment the safety zone of old economy jobs is still threatened.

Godin acknowledges the allure of the old economic structure, with a?more clearly defined social contract, was a very seductive and efficient way to operate in the Industrial Economy of the past.

At some level, though, the individual was compromised on bringing the best of them self?forward and public.

Now the incentive exists because the Connected Economy allows you to reach out and interact with those who you most value and who can most value you and your art. He emphasizes all have the ability to create art not just artists in the traditional sense of the word.

This blog post, for example, is an expression of my art. I did not have to be?approved by a newspaper, magazine or book publisher in order to express and share my thoughts to hundreds or, potentially, millions of people.

To validate the point, Godin published?his?book via a Kickstarter funding campaign rather than going through the traditional publisher relationship.

He states, at some level, we have recognized the?shift for awhile. The change in work and labor relations?has been evolving, especially since the late 70s,?but now the Internet empowers you?with a way to respond individually and collectively.

Does the change in individual power, potential and responsibility?bring with it uncertainty and, thus, some?scariness? Absolutely but Godin says you have to push forward anyway and learn to operate in conjunction with the reactionary, reptilian, defensive part of your brain.

He does not provide magic answers as much as provide a variety of magic questions to challenge your thought process and help clarify why you should act.

The bottom line lesson:?just start.

Start, share, refine, adjust, abandon, start anew and keep going?until the quality of your art is appreciated and accepted. Until then you will find the satisfaction and freedom of being true to yourself and what you bring to others as you build your tribe.

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Additional Resources related to The Icarus Deception and other thoughts by Godin:

Introduction/overview of the book (5 minutes)

Mind map summary on the book (YouTube, 24 minutes)

Godin website including his daily blog posts

About me

I have been a career sales professional in B2B sales, mostly in media, advertising and marketing. This has included managing my own territories, selling jointly with others and managing sales teams.

My sales career started in Seattle with the Puget Sound Business Journal, but a significant portion of my professional time was in California, split between Los Angeles and Orange County, before a return to Seattle.

You can reach me personally via InMail or [email protected]

714-876-7062, cell

Also

I am community manager for the LinkedIn group?Seattle Sales, Marketing and Advertising Professionals, which has 4900+ members, and one of the first million members of LinkedIn (2004).

Additionally, I am a volunteer and served as a board member (2013-2019) for the?Friends of the Seattle Public Library. I am community manager for the LinkedIn company page.

When I lived in Orange County I was a volunteer for the Friends of the City of Orange Library.