Author: Peter Fisk
As business professionals most of the times we endlessly focus on getting , analyzing and reporting data. We rarely rely on our own intuition, insights and imagination. According to the author Peter Fisk, a highly experienced business strategist and entrepreneur, this information centric approach alone will not lead you to competitive advantage, innovation and growth. We need to get out of the mundane way of doing business and be more human, thoughtful and imaginative. We need to combine intelligence and imagination (the Yin and the Yang) in a synergistic manner to gain new insights, generate unusual ideas and achieve extraordinary results.
Genius = Intelligence + Imagination = Extraordinary Results
This is what this book Business Genius is all about. The four yin-yang fusions that together deliver a more inspired business are first explored. Then the author discusses how to apply these fusions to the essential disciplines of strategy and innovation, customers and propositions, people and change that are needed to deliver sustained, profitable growth and extraordinary results.
The four fusions discussed in four parts of this book are:
1. Right Brain and Left Brain – Taking a more thoughtful, creative and holistic approach towards challenges. Embracing new ideas rather than being a slave to numbers. Freeing the creative side to focus on imagination on what matters most.
Right Brain + Left Brain = Holistic Thinking
2. Radical Ideas and Practical Action – Taking a more thoughtful, bolder approach to business challenges. Making the best ideas happen without compromise. Making every action count, ensuring that radical ideas deliver more significant impact.
Radical Ideas + Practical Action = Dramatic Impact
3. Future Back and Now Forward – Starting from possibilities, unlimited by the rules and conventions, or existing capabilities. Seizing and shaping the best market opportunities before others. Creating tomorrow whilst also delivering today.
Future Back + Now Forward = Enlightened Innovation
4. Outside In and Inside Out – Defining strategy based on the best markets, customer needs and competitive difference, rather than what you have always done, or think you should do. Doing business on customer’s terms rather than your own.
Outside In + Inside Out = Engaged Customers
There are 36 case studies in this book to illustrate the above fusions in actions. The notable ones among them are:
Apple – transforming markets with iPods and iPhones; FC Barcelona – capturing the sporting passion of the Catalans; Disney – connecting digital and physical worlds together; FedEx- aligning the organisation to deliver every time; Ferrari- creatively building a new high-speed business ; GE – “ecomagination” transforms a business giant; Google – new ways to work and have a great lifestyle too; 3M – creative disruption at the innovation company; Marks & Spencer – bringing a retailing giant back from the dead; Nike – constantly transforming markets in your own vision; Proctor & Gamble – real leadership that transformed a market leader; Zara- Spanish fashion that is always a step ahead.
A very handy and information packed reference book which every business professional should read !
Links:
- Excerpt from the chapter “Driving and Accelerating Business Growth”
- Executive Summary
- Author’s Website
Book Details: Published:2008, Publisher: Capstone Publishing Ltd., Hardcover: 360 pages.
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