The Second Cycle

Book excerpt: You're growing fast. You're profitable. Maybe they're even writing great things about you in the business press. But, just beneath the surface, are you incubating the seeds of disaster? It's happened over and over again, in one industry after another, to companies ranging from IBM to Upjohn. In this book, Lars Kolind helps you uncover the earliest signs of trouble--and reignite a powerful new growth cycle. Drawing upon his own experience as the CEO who turned around Oticon, the world's top manufacturer of hearing aids, Kolind introduces a comprehensive toolbox for revitalizing mature organizations: tools for creating consensus around change, using staff more effectively, promoting innovation, and much more. Finally, he applies his tools to a wide range of organizations in decline, including the U.S. auto industry. The result: specific, practical advice you can adapt to galvanize your organization, no matter how well you're doing today.