Hop on now. Discover the Chaordic Alternative. Next stop Culture Change Central!
“Revitalise your business with innovation and entrepreneurship”, sets the scene so you know what to expect, only you don’t because you’re in for surprises. Leen begins with a “passionate plea for authenticity in entrepreneurship” and goes on to decry ‘loincloth’ projects-somewhat worse than sticking plaster. I give this book 5 ***** and say buy it now!
Thought leader Leen Zevenbergen aims to get everyone out of their straight jackets, to think out of the box, and a high five from me for referring to ‘vision’ in his first sentence, since this is the birth of business transformation. (As a Vision Facilitator am I biased? Of course yes! Vision changes everything!) And it all begins with Leadership. How can a leader inspire others if they are totally uninspiring, this is part of the problem for which Leen offers solutions.
Is yours a ‘Conscious Company’ that demonstrates strategic keenness, energises people and stimulates creative thinking and inspiration. Yes? Well then, you are amongst the minority, the pack leaders. Say No? Better find out what this is about then before it’s too late to change!
When business is going well, who sees trouble coming or even thinks about it? Learn how to avoid complacency now with the ‘Nightmare Competitor’. “Paradoxically”, Leen tells us, “from time to time a good nightmare guarantees in the long run a better night’s rest”. Don’t ask, but read the book. From the end of the second chapter I already knew there are too many important lessons here to cover
Businesses are living through a time of extreme control and regulation (straight jackets). Life is easier by fitting people, staff, customers, into little boxes. Anxiety rules! This spells death for innovation and entrepreneurship. Yes, authentic leadership and transparency are the new kids on the block. Build a new (I say ‘shared’) corporate vision = revitalise your business. We’re reminded that everyone has creativity, how much of it people display outside of the workplace and how easy it is to turn it on. Welcome to the company where people achieve what’s necessary and also have fun!
Leen thinks we’re guilty of murdering the ‘thrill’ of business and proceeds to show us how to put it back. Having persevered past chapter one I walked into a library of desirable futures packed with stimulating ideas for better business backed up by great examples. Leen and I share some common ground in business experiences: especially in how people should be treated; the value of their collective role in turning their company around; that slash and burn can turn business survival into terminal and turnaround needs some investment, however small, in processes like these.
As I’ve experienced first hand when facilitating my SI White Table Visioning Process™, given permission and opportunity to work together as a team, group or company to create a shared vision for the organisation, people bring about positive transformation. ‘Shared vision’ just two little words that in practise are hard to achieve yet offers major impact.
Leen describes what true creativity looks like, from both an entrepreneur’s and a manager’s perspective and how smaller companies have the market edge, how to create ‘flow’ and when “doing nothing” is right for everyone. Get rid of the ‘guilt trip’, read for yourself what this is all about and learn something invaluable today. Smile if you must then understand the question – What is ’idiotic’? Something brilliant!
http://www.nextgenerationbank.nl/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Leen_Zevenbergen-2.jpeg
http://www.leenzevenbergen.nl/
Beautiful A5 full colour creatively designed 223 pages of short chapters, manageable chunks of learning, packed with wisdom and ingenuity. Excellent Case Studies of creative and entrepreneurial companies, great book references and joy of joy a pretty decent section on ‘vision’.
Highly Recommended 5 *****
