An entrepreneur argues for business reinvention in this guide.
Zhexembayeva habitually writes about edgy business issues. In Overfished Ocean Strategy (2014), she urged business leaders to use the scarcity of resources to strategic advantage. Here, she makes a solid case for pursuing reinvention as a business strategy. While “change” is almost a cliché in business books, the author believes it can be a valuable motivational force for reinventing processes. Indeed, this is the premise of her visionary work: “The challenge we face isn’t about trying to survive until things stabilize, but rather about learning to thrive in constant chaos. That happens only when we accept that change is no longer a project and build a well-thought-out reinvention system that works.” That system is driven by a senior executive she terms “Chief Reinvention Officer” to ensure that this strategy is viewed as a top corporate priority. Zhexembayeva says she tested reinvention via workshops, surveys, and implementation of the tools described in this volume with “over 3,000 practitioners from more than 40 countries,” an impressive validation of the concept. The book itself follows a seemingly traditional, logical course in revealing the aspects of reinvention in three parts. It begins with an exploration of why businesses get into trouble, transitions to what they need to do to survive, and concludes with how to thrive. But the manner in which the material is presented is unconventional, bold, and exhilarating. A unique table of contents organized as a flow chart and meticulously designed and illustrated pages with exceptional attention to readability and ample room to write answers to engaging questions put this guide visually in a class by itself.
The content is as compelling as the manual’s design. The author relies on the central theme of comparing a business to a ship—far from unique but a powerful thread that maintains continuity through all three brilliantly executed sections. Zhexembayeva starts Part 1 with a provocative claim, “What Really Sank the Titanic,” which is likely to surprise many readers. She then seamlessly transitions to “Titanics of the Twenty-first Century”—companies in the Fortune 500—pointing out that only 60 of them from 1955 have survived today, “a sinking rate of 88%.” She labels this “a corporate disease.” The author then shares the results of original research suggesting why reinvention is the way forward for most companies. Part 2 focuses on what companies can do to “stay afloat.” Here, Zhexembayeva shares five intriguing “flips”—“crucial shifts in the way we think about, design, and implement change.” Three relevant case studies follow, with the opportunity for readers to write down their own reactions. Part 3 offers several interactive, valuable tools to help leaders reinvent their businesses. A “Bonus” section includes “Business Model Reinvention Cards,” detailing 25 models to help “structure, discuss, and develop projects.” These cards are just the creative icing on the cake. The author adds a wealth of outside resources, including volumes and articles (cleverly illustrated on bookshelves), to supplement the text.
Outstanding business insights in a work brimming with energy and vitality.
★ 2020-11-23
An entrepreneur argues for business reinvention in this guide.
Zhexembayeva habitually writes about edgy business issues. In Overfished Ocean Strategy(2014), she urged business leaders to use the scarcity of resources to strategic advantage. Here, she makes a solid case for pursuing reinvention as a business strategy. While “change” is almost a cliché in business books, the author believes it can be a valuable motivational force for reinventing processes. Indeed, this is the premise of her visionary work: “The challenge we face isn’t about trying to survive until things stabilize, but rather about learning to thrive in constant chaos. That happens only when we accept that change is no longer a project and build a well-thought-out reinvention system that works.” That system is driven by a senior executive she terms “Chief Reinvention Officer” to ensure that this strategy is viewed as a top corporate priority. Zhexembayeva says she tested reinvention via workshops, surveys, and implementation of the tools described in this volume with “over 3,000 practitioners from more than 40 countries,” an impressive validation of the concept. The book itself follows a seemingly traditional, logical course in revealing the aspects of reinvention in three parts. It begins with an exploration of why businesses get into trouble, transitions to what they need to do to survive, and concludes with how to thrive. But the manner in which the material is presented is unconventional, bold, and exhilarating. A unique table of contents organized as a flow chart and meticulously designed and illustrated pages with exceptional attention to readability and ample room to write answers to engaging questions put this guide visually in a class by itself.The content is as compelling as the manual’s design. The author relies on the central theme of comparing a business to a ship—far from unique but a powerful thread that maintains continuity through all three brilliantly executed sections. Zhexembayeva starts Part 1 with a provocative claim, “What Really Sank the Titanic,” which is likely to surprise many readers. She then seamlessly transitions to “Titanics of the Twenty-first Century”—companies in the Fortune 500—pointing out that only 60 of them from 1955 have survived today, “a sinking rate of 88%.” She labels this “a corporate disease.” The author then shares the results of original research suggesting why reinvention is the way forward for most companies. Part 2 focuses on what companies can do to “stay afloat.” Here, Zhexembayeva shares five intriguing “flips”—“crucial shifts in the way we think about, design, and implement change.” Three relevant case studies follow, with the opportunity for readers to write down their own reactions. Part 3 offers several interactive, valuable tools to help leaders reinvent their businesses. A “Bonus” section includes “Business Model Reinvention Cards,” detailing 25 models to help “structure, discuss, and develop projects.” These cards are just the creative icing on the cake. The author adds a wealth of outside resources, including volumes and articles (cleverly illustrated on bookshelves), to supplement the text.
Outstanding business insights in a work brimming with energy and vitality.
