Simplicity: The New Competitive Advantage in a World of More, Better, Faster - Hardcover

Jensen, William D.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 073820210X ISBN 13: 9780738202105

Publisher: Basic Books, 2000

Synopsis

Choosing among infinite possibilities is the toughest part of today's work, when information is abundant and the most precious resources are people's time and attention. We need easy-to-use tools that help us choose what to do and what not to do, especially when any hesitation or misstep can spell disaster. But how do you make sense of the clutter? In Simplicity , Bill Jensen offers a highly engaging and pragmatic approach to competing in the fast-paced information age by being disciplined about how you make sense of everything around you. Drawing on a groundbreaking study of over 2,500 people in 460 companies, Jensen presents new tools and strategies for applying common sense and critical thinking to any business situation—from running more effective meetings to leading large-scale change programs. Simplicity is about working smarter, not harder; it gives you the power to create more flexible and productive organizations, more compelling experiences for colleagues and customers, and more fulfilling work for everyone.Simplicity is … All about competing on clarity Being disciplined about how you make sense of things Being passionate about how you use people's time and attention When everyone knows how to get what they need to make a decision Among the questions Simplicity answers: What is your cost of confusion and the value of clarity? Are you using clarity to go faster, work smarter? Do you have a strategy for creating a simpler company? How will you continuously figure out what you don't know? Either create less clutter or make more sense of it faster than the competition—and you win.

About this title

About the Author

Bill Jensen is President/CEO of the Jensen Group, a change and communication consulting firm. An expert on applying the principles of simplicity in business management and organizational design, he speaks widely on the subject and has written articles for many publications, including Strategy and Leadership and Knowledge Management Journal. He lives in Morristown, New Jersey.

Reviews

Jensen, president and CEO of the Jensen Group (a change and communication consulting firm), believes that most workers suffer from "cognitive overload"--too many choices and a lack of direction. This book presents the results of a survey of more than 2500 people in 460 organizations, along with a plan of action for business leaders. Disappointingly, Jensen applies his model of "know, feel, use, do, and succeed" unsuccessfully across several chapters. It is particularly jarring, in a book about simplicity, to find such a cluttered layout; the pages are filled with blocks of oversized type, notes, different typefaces, sidebars, and other distractions. Likewise, his suggestions are sometimes hard to follow, e.g., "For more help, reread anything relating to tools and support in the last three chapters"; indications of particular page ranges would have been far more helpful. Recommended only for comprehensive business collections and large libraries where demand warrants.
-A.J. Sobczak, Covina, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 073820210X
• ISBN 13: 9780738202105
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240