The bestselling author of Tribes and The Dip returns with his most powerful book yet Who is Seth Godin?"It's easy to see why people pay to hear what he has to say. Godin is a marketer, but in the broadest sense of the word. He's interested in not simply how products are marketed, but also how people sell themselves and their ideas, and how new technology can be a game-changer." - Time.com"Thousands of authors write business books every year but only a handful reach star status and the A-list lecture circuit. Fewer still- one, to be exact-can boast his own action figure. . . . In the nearly ten years since his first bestseller, Godin has become a marketing phenom with a string of titles, including Purple Cow, Unleashing the Ideavirus, and his newest, Tribes. . . . Across [all] media, Godin delivers his combination of counterintuitive thinking and a …
The bestselling author of Tribes and The Dip returns with his most powerful book yet Who is Seth Godin?"It's easy to see why people pay to hear what he has to say. Godin is a marketer, but in the broadest sense of the word. He's interested in not simply how products are marketed, but also how people sell themselves and their ideas, and how new technology can be a game-changer." - Time.com"Thousands of authors write business books every year but only a handful reach star status and the A-list lecture circuit. Fewer still- one, to be exact-can boast his own action figure. . . . In the nearly ten years since his first bestseller, Godin has become a marketing phenom with a string of titles, including Purple Cow, Unleashing the Ideavirus, and his newest, Tribes. . . . Across [all] media, Godin delivers his combination of counterintuitive thinking and a great sense of fun." -BusinessWeek.com"The marketing expert is a demigod on the Web, a bestselling author, highly sought after lecturer, successful entrepreneur, respected pundit and high-profile blogger. He is uniquely respected for his understanding of the Internet, and his essays and opinions are widely read and quoted online and off." -Forbes.com
Commoditization of workers is deceptively attractive for business owners, in that it looks like your labor cost can be driven down with more easily replaceable workers, but it's a trap because like all commodities, it's a race to the bottom, as others copy your business for themselves, and do what you do cheaper and better.
Godin's big idea in this book is for workers to embrace their art, so that they become an irreplaceable part of the business, and for businesses to accommodate, hire, and cultivate the odd-shaped but talented, rather than standardized cogs.
Gets three stars because "I liked it," but I did not "really like it." When I started it, I thought much of the content would be statements of the obvious. And there are quite a few of those in this book. But Godin also provides some things to think about, including a thing or two that librarians can learn. I did find myself taking notes from the book now and then, and I will likely post some of those in my blog later. At the moment, I just wanted to get a quick review in so I can mark the book as "read" and move on.
The theme of being an artist is pretty prominent in the book. This does not mean painters, sculptors, etc. per se. Rather, it refers to those folks "with a genius for finding a new answer, a new connection, or a new way of getting …
Gets three stars because "I liked it," but I did not "really like it." When I started it, I thought much of the content would be statements of the obvious. And there are quite a few of those in this book. But Godin also provides some things to think about, including a thing or two that librarians can learn. I did find myself taking notes from the book now and then, and I will likely post some of those in my blog later. At the moment, I just wanted to get a quick review in so I can mark the book as "read" and move on.
The theme of being an artist is pretty prominent in the book. This does not mean painters, sculptors, etc. per se. Rather, it refers to those folks "with a genius for finding a new answer, a new connection, or a new way of getting things done" (8). These folks are the linchpins of organizations, and while Godin says that they are (or should be) valued and thus command a better salary, so on. Yet the reality is that this is not always the case. Just look at the current economy, not to mention the way many companies mistreat workers to see the evidence contrary to Godin's idealism. I think that is a bit of a problem with the book; the guy is just too idealistic at times. For instance, he often talks about pushing your luck and breaking the rules. If you can afford to do so like him because you are pretty much self-employed, all good and dandy. Try doing that in a restrictive work environment, and you will be given a pink slip. Job loss these days is not a light matter, and no, getting fired does not always mean "it was fate" and something better will come along. As I said, the guy makes some good points, but much of the book is pie-in-the-sky.
Having made the point about much of the book being a bit too optimistic, as I mentioned, the book does make some good points. I would recommend scanning it, finding the good stuff, and skipping the rest. He does have some inspirational stuff for people to try out that is worth considering at least. I know I got some good ideas. So, skim this one. Besides, he can get a bit repetitive, so again, skimming may be best.
