From the Bookshelf This is a fortnightly review of bestsellers for business executives Change your corporate DNA by Chris Johnson The building blocks to unlock an organisation's true potential One sign of a business book that really hits home is that the reader pauses every so often with a "shock of recognition". In other words, rather than simply trying to digest descriptions of billion-dollar deals done by some multinational or other, the reader can immediately call to mind similar examples from his or her day-to-day work environment. Results by Gary L. Neilson and Bruce A. Pasternack manages to do that time and again. The authors put forward the premise that every company has a personality and that there are seven basic types. These range from the passive-aggressive, in which everyone agrees but nothing changes because of latent resistance to new initiatives, to the resilient, which is forward-looking, proactive and flexible. In between are the others, which will have a familiar ring for most of us. There is the fits-and-starts, where good people pull in different directions, the outgrown, which reacts too slowly to new market conditions, and the overmanaged, where reports about what you could be doing take the place of actually doing something constructive. To round off, a company's personality might be classified as just-in-time, which achieves success but allows the best employees to burn out, or like the organisation which runs with military precision but cannot always think on its feet. People at work, no matter what their rank are "products of their environment ... and most organisations are inherently unhealthy" (p.4). The authors' goal, therefore, is to show how to unlock potential and align thinking to create a healthy company and sustainable solutions. The recommended starting point is to recognise that each company has its own unique "organisational DNA". This is a combination of four main building blocks which concern decision rights, information, motivators and structure. Once these fundamentals are addressed and clarified, it is far easier to move on to tackling problems at the next level and to implement lasting change. The authors' research was "inspired by experience, underpinned by economic theory, and fueled by hard data" (p.265). Using this, plus survey information and a large measure of insight and intuition, Neilson and Pasternack have provided readers with a practical guide to understanding the different ways in which organisations really function and, more importantly, where they repeatedly slip up. They set out the signposts to help in overcoming the most common mistakes and achieving consistently better performance. If company leaders and middle managers can take their advice on board and adapt as necessary, they will then be well on track to "keep what's good, fix what's wrong, and unlock great performance." Content highlights: Companies and other organisations have their own personalities, and there are seven basic types To improve things, leaders must recognise and make best use of four essential building blocks — decision rights, information, motivators and structure Becoming a resilient company is "as good as it gets" and is the point at which the organisation is equipped to deal with adversity and never rests on its laurels About the authors Gary L. Neilson is a senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton and a member of the board of directors. He leads the global team which has developed new ideas about how organisations can achieve better results. Bruce A. Pasternack is president and CEO of the Special Olympics. For almost 30 years he was senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, served as a director, and helped to found the firm's organisation and strategic leadership practice. He also worte The Centerless Corporation. Taken from Career Times 12 May 2006 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]