Defying doom

Book description

This book is a call to action. If you need to know what it takes to break through to a new layer of oxygen in an organization that has been flying high in the past, you will find this both an inspiring and practical approach. Nothing will swoop down to remove your challenges, but the framework explained in this book carves a clear path toward transforming an organization, as opposed to sinking into decline. This framework is grouped around three simple steps: What’s the story? Who’s on board? Getting things done.

“Defying Doom recounts and explores genuine nightmares — lived, survived and avoided — in different corporate scenarios. These stories inspire executives not only to overcome but also to emerge stronger from certain situations despite uncertain and shifting environments. Quinn offers us a vivid and humane reading, full of tangible solutions for the 21st century executive.”

Table of contents

  1. DEFYING DOOM
  2. BACK COVER
  3. COVER
  4. FRONT PAGE
  5. DEDICATION
  6. CONTENTS
  7. FOREWORD by Nando Parrado
  8. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  9. PRESENTATION
  10. STEPS. For Defying Doom
    1. Don’t kill the messenger
    2. 1. So what is the Story?
    3. 2. All aboard!
    4. 3. Getting it done
    5. 4. Conclusions
  11. STEP 1. What’s the Story?
    1. 1. Create a sense of urgency: “We have a problem!”
      1. 1.1. No one will come and fix our problem
      2. 1.2. The Disconnection Factor
      3. 1.3. Pause for reflection: picking out the problem or root causes
      4. 1.4. Open up your eyes and ears
      5. 1.5. Create the right culture to speak up
      6. 1.6. Identify the roots behind the problem
      7. 1.7. Explain why remaining where you are is not an option
      8. 1.8. Articulating the vision for the future
      9. 1.9. Come up with a roadmap
  12. PART 2. Who’s On Board?
    1. 1. Willingness to change from the leader
      1. 1.1. The leader must be the first person on board
      2. 1.2. Leadership cannot be delegated
      3. 1.3. Change efforts require a lot of energy
      4. 1.4. Contextual leadership style
      5. 1.5. All eyes on the leader’s behavior
    2. 2. Alignment of the Top Team
      1. 2.1. Avoiding silos and building trust
      2. 2.2. The leader as a coach
      3. 2.3. The best for the whole may not be the best for each part
      4. 2.4. Don’t hesitate to remove people who get in the way
      5. 2.5. Reaching out to engage everyone
      6. 2.6. Communicate, communicate, communicate
      7. 2.7. Find supporters and ambassadors for the transformation
      8. 2.8. The voice of the leader in spreading the word
  13. PART 3. Execution
    1. 1. Keep the plan and the roadmap simple
    2. 2. Focus, focus, focus
    3. 3. Align the key elements of the plan
    4. 4. Identify quick wins and structural projects
    5. 5. Spend quality time on the transformation
    6. 6. Set the right KPIs
    7. 7. Align incentives and rewards
    8. 8. Walk the talk
    9. 9. Implement “zero-base” budgets to break the historical inertia
    10. 10. Find a common external enemy
  14. CASE STUDY. Defying Doom at Telefónica
    1. 1. Telefónica: What’s the Story?
      1. 1.1. Building a shared sense of urgency
      2. 1.2. The vision of a brighter future: “Be More”
    2. 2. Telefónica: Who’s On Board?
      1. 2.1. Organizational changes
      2. 2.2. Launching “Be More”
      3. 2.3. Rolling out “Be More”
      4. 2.4. Leveraging Universitas Telefónica
      5. 2.5. “Be More” workshops
      6. 2.6. “Be More” online program
    3. 3. Telefónica: Execution
      1. 3.1. Suspending the dividend
      2. 3.2. Selling non-core assets
      3. 3.3. Selling Atento
      4. 3.4. Reducing the equity stake in China Unicom
      5. 3.5. Merging fixed and mobile operations in Colombia
      6. 3.6. Selling Hispasat
      7. 3.7. Selling 40 per cent of Central American operations
      8. 3.8. Initial public offering for the German operation
      9. 3.9. Purchase of E-Plus in Germany
      10. 3.10. Selling of the Czech Republic and Slovakia operations
      11. 3.11. Selling of operations in Ireland
      12. 3.12. Debt reduction program
      13. 3.13. Reestablishing the dividend
      14. 3.14. A new organization in place
      15. 3.15. Network sharing agreements
      16. 3.16. Simplifying the commercial offer
  15. CASE STUDY. Defying Doom at IBM
    1. 1. IBM: What’s the Story?
      1. 1.1. A burning platform — IBM
      2. 1.2. A clear vision of the future and the roadmap to get there — IBM
    2. 2. IBM: Who’s On Board?
      1. 2.1. Willingness to change from the leader
      2. 2.2. Alignment in the Top Team — IBM
      3. 2.3. Reaching out to engage everyone
    3. 3. IBM: Execution
      1. 3.1. Win
      2. 3.2. Execute
      3. 3.3. Team
    4. 4. The rebirth of IBM
  16. CASE STUDY. Defying Doom at Apple
    1. 1. Apple’s burning platform
    2. 2. Apple: focusing on the products
      1. 2.1. iMac — May 1998
      2. 2.2. The iPod — October 2001
      3. 2.3. The iTunes Store — April 2003
      4. 2.4. The iPhone — January 2007
      5. 2.5. The iPad — January 2010
      6. 2.6. The iCloud — June 2011
  17. DEFYING DOOM TOOLKIT. Defying Doom: Apple
    1. Step 1. What’s the Story?
    2. Step 2. Who’s On Board?
    3. Step 3. Execution
  18. NOTES
  19. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  20. COPYRIGHT PAGE

Product information

  • Title: Defying doom
  • Author(s): Bernardo Quinn
  • Release date: June 2016
  • Publisher(s): Editorial Almuzara
  • ISBN: 9788416624317