The Innovation Paradox : The Success of Failure, the Failure of Success: Richard Farson, Ralph Keyes
Editorial Reviews
Precious few of us–and that includes Hall of Fame achievers like J. Paul Getty and Bill Gates–ever travel a straight line to the winner’s circle. Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins, by Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes, builds on this basic assumption to suggest that some failures may not only be inevitable on our road to success, but might actually help us attain it. In earlier books, Farson (Management of the Absurd) and Keyes (Chancing It) wrote separately about risk taking and reexamining assumptions. Here, they jointly proclaim that in the age of Oprah it might truly be counterproductive to accept the traditional meaning of business yin and yang. “Relying on conventional, outmoded ideas about success and failure stands in the way of your ability to innovate, compete and stay ahead of the curve in a changing economy,” they write. While slim, their book goes on to make a compelling case for “managing in the postfailure era” by supporting the type of traditionally discouraged behavior that resulted in breakthrough creativity over the years at firms like 3M, Monsanto, and Apple. Since crises, setbacks, and adversity help shape and advance our lives, the authors argue, why can’t enlightened managers also turn them into forward movement in the workplace? Contrarian food for thought. –Howard Rothman
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
From the “learn from your mistakes” school of thought comes Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins: The Paradox of Innovation. Today’s business world calls for taking risks and accepting setbacks, say authors Richard Farson (Management of the Absurd) and Ralph Keyes (Chancing It). In this tiny volume, they cite examples from Rudy Giuliani’s performance amid the chaos of September 11 to inventor Charles Kettering’s perseverance in the face of adversity. Recognizing obstacles is essential to victory, Farson and Keyes contend, and despite their book’s brevity, they demonstrate concrete ways to do so.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.