Learn to fight off 'zombification' in your organisation and ensure growth and relevance in the digital age Many companies fall victim to the 'zombie' mindset - lack of effective marketing, low organisational morale, a dwindling customer base, inadequate financials and accounting systems, stagnant growth - the list goes on. The harsh reality is that many zombie companies ultimately run out of customers and shut their doors for good. To break free from this mindset, companies need to employ a practical, systematic approach that encompasses all of the elements necessary to bring them back to the land of the living. Be Less Zombie is an engaging behind-the-scenes guide that helps organisations expel the zombie factor and proceed forward in a positive, productive direction. Filled with practical tools and real-life stories, this valuable resource provides business-tested guidance for building agile, innovative teams and organisations. Author Elvin Turner has coached hundreds of innovation programmes that break the zombie spell and inject new life into organisations worldwide. Uniquely, this book focuses on each of the vital elements - strategy, innovation, culture and business model - that combine to produce the cure for 'zombification' and propel growth. Mixing tongue-in-cheek observations and seasoned leadership advice, this book: * Provides a roadmap for leading transformation in an organisation * Includes interviews with senior leaders of global corporations such as Sony Music and Universal * Strengthens strategic forward thinking in the global business environment * Addresses new and emerging digital trends such as AI, machine learning, blockchain and disruptive start-ups * Helps every team member become an agent of change Executives, managers and team members of any organisation, ranging from the hottest start-up to the most-established corporation, will find Be Less Zombie essential reading.
Elvin Turner is an award-winning advisor to global corporations, government bodies, not-for-profit organisations, and start-ups around the world.
About the Author xv Acknowledgements xvii Introduction: Unicorns vs Zombies xix Part One Innovation Strategy For Pragmatists 1 Innovation is an argument inside most companies -frail, new ideas versus the overwhelming power of the status quo. An innovation strategy helps create an environment where new ideas can emerge and thrive. It is the single-most important way to build and sustain innovation performance. And it doesn't have to be difficult. 1 The Power of Strategic Intentionality 3 2 The Do-Or-Die Issue of Innovation Performance 8 3 Money Talks 12 4 The Innovation that Customers Buy 15 5 HowMuch Innovation is Enough? 17 6 The Future is Coming Ready or Not 27 7 DetectingWeak Signals from the Future 29 8 Blurred Vision 38 9 What Does the Future Actually Mean? 41 10 The Future and Its Naysayers 47 11 Leading from the Future 49 12 Innovation Strategy: Turn It On 51 13 Quick-Start Innovation StrategyWorkshop 53 Part Two Turning on a Fast-Track Innovation Process 59 Great innovation rarely happens without a clear and effective process. This section shares the practical tools used by global innovation leaders that your team can begin using today. 14 Why Zombies Hate Innovation Process 61 15 Starting with Insight: The Innovation Particle 65 16 'Why' MattersMoreThan 'What' with Customer Insight 72 17 Working with Customer 'Progress' Insights 81 18 Framing Great Opportunities 93 19 Catalytic Questions 100 20 Hot Love 109 21 Preparing for Greatness 111 22 Running a Creative Session 122 23 How to Choose the Right Ideas 126 24 The 'Five-Day Brainstorm' 134 25 Tracking Idea Progress 137 26 Overcoming the Execution Problem 140 27 Innovation Rocket Fuel 144 28 Innovation Trapdoors 149 29 If You Only Read One Chapter... 166 30 ShowMe theMoney? 191 31 Dead on Arrival 198 32 Your Great Idea Isn't Enough 224 Part Three Building Your People's Innovation Capabilities 235 Most organisations want more innovation but few equip their people to actually deliver it. This section provides practical strategies, roadmaps and case studies to help your people out-innovate your competitors. 33 Enabling Ingenuity 237 Part Four Time,Money and Talent: How to Resource Innovation 249 Business-as-usual makes little provision for bolder innovation.This section helps you rethink how resources are managed and allocated so that the future has a greater chance of showing up. 34 Who Does It and Who Pays for It? 251 Part Five Innovation Culture for Realists 267 Culture has been defined as 'what is ordinary'. Yet most companies demand extraordinary innovation to emerge from their status quo set-ups. This section shows how to move beyond a one-size-fits-all culture to where bigger ideas can emerge and thrive on a repeatable basis. 35 Calibrating Culture to Outcome 269 36 BeMore Human 275 37 If Culture Feels tooWoolly, Switch to 'Space' 279 38 Bold Ideas aren't Born on Stage 283 39 Next-Level Creative Culture 292 40 Innovation Fight Club 309 41 Driving with the Handbrake On 317 Part Six Leading an Innovation Reformation 325 Innovation is regularly cited as a top three priority amongst leaders, yet the vast majority of their training and experience is in business-as-usual management. This section provides practical tools for leaders who need to lead their organisations to a new level of innovation performance. 42 The Innovation LeadershipMandate 327 43 Innovation Never 'Just Happens' 329 44 Mapping the Leadership Territory 332 45 To Boldly Grow 339 46 It Takes a Leader 341 47 You are a User Experience 344 48 Confronting Personal Relevance 352 49 Enduring the Bumps 356 Part Seven Turn It On, Turn It Up 359 You've read the book and are ready to start. But where do you begin? What does 'Day One' look like? This section provides some pragmatic starting points to turn on and turn up your innovation performance. 50 Turning It On 361 Index 369
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