The Milkshake Moment: Overcoming Stupid Systems, Pointless Policies and Muddled Management to Realize Real Growth - Hardcover

Little, Steven S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470257466 ISBN 13: 9780470257463

Publisher: Wiley, 2008

Synopsis

Growth is the central focus of every business, yet many businesses continually find ways to shoot themselves in the foot. In Milkshake Moment, Steven Little shows you how to identify and overcome the stifling behaviors built into your organization and get you back on track to substantive change and real growth. Read Milkshake Moment and find out how to ditch the pointless policies and stupid rules so you can give your customers what they really want; they'll reward you for it.

About this title

About the Author

STEVEN S. LITTLE is a much sought-after expert on the subject of growth and the future of opportunity. A former president of three fast-growth companies, he now advises thousands of leaders of growing organizations and communities each year. To learn more about Steven and growth, please visit his Web site at www.stevenslittle.com.

From the Back Cover

The Milkshake Moment

Growth. It’s the central focus of every organization, the underlying goal of virtually every business project, product launch, non-profit initiative, or community campaign. To grow, an organization must encourage creativity, flexibility, and the overall capacity for individuals to recognize and respond to opportunity at every level. So why, then, do so many organizations, both big and small, continually find ways to shoot themselves in the foot?

In The Milkshake Moment, growth guru Steven S. Little shows you how to identify and overcome the stifling behaviors built into your organization and lead the way toward substantive change and real growth.

Building on the frustrating true story of his inability to order a simple milkshake, Little explains how well-intended systems meant to increase satisfaction can often produce the opposite effect for both customers and employees. The “Milkshake Moment” is that precise instant in which an organization’s individuals realize that they are allowed to do the right thing―to serve the interests of others in order to grow the organization―instead of following arcane internal procedures that actually hinder growth. Little clearly demonstrates that only when we remove our own self-imposed barriers can we begin to seize growth opportunities in any organizational setting.

The Milkshake Moment helps you develop both the actions and the attributes of a true growth leader as you learn how to:

• Foster “grow” versus the status quo
• Understand the difference between “the managed” and “the led”
• Break the cycles of conformity
• “Insource” policies that promote growth
• Hone your judgment
• Uncover the BIG secret to service
• Resolve the “people problem” problem
• See your future opportunities more clearly

Packed with fascinating examples of behaviors that drive an organization’s growth and those that throw it into reverse, The Milkshake Moment mixes up a refreshing blend of engaging reading and actionable advice on how you can help your organization reach another level.

From the Inside Flap

The Milkshake Moment

Growth. It’s the central focus of every organization, the underlying goal of virtually every business project, product launch, non-profit initiative, or community campaign. To grow, an organization must encourage creativity, flexibility, and the overall capacity for individuals to recognize and respond to opportunity at every level. So why, then, do so many organizations, both big and small, continually find ways to shoot themselves in the foot?

In The Milkshake Moment, growth guru Steven S. Little shows you how to identify and overcome the stifling behaviors built into your organization and lead the way toward substantive change and real growth.

Building on the frustrating true story of his inability to order a simple milkshake, Little explains how well-intended systems meant to increase satisfaction can often produce the opposite effect for both customers and employees. The “Milkshake Moment” is that precise instant in which an organization’s individuals realize that they are allowed to do the right thing—to serve the interests of others in order to grow the organization—instead of following arcane internal procedures that actually hinder growth. Little clearly demonstrates that only when we remove our own self-imposed barriers can we begin to seize growth opportunities in any organizational setting.

The Milkshake Moment helps you develop both the actions and the attributes of a true growth leader as you learn how to:

• Foster “grow” versus the status quo
• Understand the difference between “the managed” and “the led”
• Break the cycles of conformity
• “Insource” policies that promote growth
• Hone your judgment
• Uncover the BIG secret to service
• Resolve the “people problem” problem
• See your future opportunities more clearly

Packed with fascinating examples of behaviors that drive an organization’s growth and those that throw it into reverse, The Milkshake Moment mixes up a refreshing blend of engaging reading and actionable advice on how you can help your organization reach another level.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0470257466
• ISBN 13: 9780470257463
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208