How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything . . . in Business (and in Life)

Chapter 3. The Journey to How

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.

—John Wooden, Hall of Fame basketball coach

Information is king, hyperconnectedness puts that information in the hands of the many, and transparency reveals all: this is our new reality. Thus far, we've looked at some of the external forces working upon us as we struggle to adapt to changing times. There are other forces at work, though, powerful internal shifts that affect how we feel about ourselves as individuals, companies, and any group of which we are a part. The new needs and perceptions bred by these changes also exert a powerful influence on our future business success. To fully consider the rapid changes to the geography of business, then, we must also open our minds to how these strong forces have created a new playing field for success.

JUST DO IT

At the end of the twentieth century, new conditions left little doubt that we were but a mouse click away from having everything about us—good, bad, and indifferent—revealed. From our hobbies to our bank account information, personal identification numbers to details about what we spend or owe, lots of facts we might not feel comfortable discussing with friends routinely find their way to the public eye without us being able to stop them. Increased exposure brought increased unease, vulnerability that has affected us in ways many of us have not yet had time to fully consider. With all the looking that became possible, we began to look more, and at different ...