Kill the company.

• Author: Weberg, Brian
• Position: Book review

By Lisa Bodell

Bibliomotion

256 pages; $27.95

ISBN-13:978-1937134020

"It's all about culture," says Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO of future-think, an innovation research and training firm. She believes the inefficiency and complacency common in corporate culture today robs us of the ability to create the thoughtful, risk-tolerant environment that encourages innovation and supports investments for the future.

In "Kill the Company," her first book, Bodell writes about business culture, but her ideas and suggestions will appeal to managers and employees in both the public and private sectors.

The book is an easy-to-read, straight-forward tonic for what ails many organizations--the complacency and comfort that sets in after years of success and that ultimately blinds many of us to external challenges and internal needs for change and innovation.

Bodell describes business cultures as either positive (the good), negative (the bad) or complacent (the worst). She then takes readers on a ride through several useful and informative examples, ideas and exercises designed to help create a positive work environment.

Her "Kill the Stupid Rule" exercise is an attractive tool for almost any organization. It begins by asking employees: "If you could kill or change all the stupid rules that get in the way of doing your work or serving our customers, what would they be and how would you do it?"

Eleven more ways to instigate change are outlined in her "Innovation Tool Kit" at the end of the book, including "Killer Queries," "Picture the Future" and "Assumption Reversal."

This is good stuff. Bodell's energy...