Flip: How to Turn Everything You Know on Its Head--And Succeed Beyond Your Wildest Imaginings

By Peter Sheahan

Book Overview

Emphasizing flexible, counterintuitive decision making, Flip calls for a new way of doing business in an economy where conventional wisdom won't get you anywhere

"Business today requires new perspectives"--this is how Peter Sheahan, one of the youngest and fastest-rising stars on the international consulting and speaking circuit, begins this essential guidebook for succeeding in the twenty-first century. Sheahan reveals how the world's most effective organizations and individuals distinguish themselves from the competition, instead of running with the pack.

In Flip he uncovers what the superstars of modern business have in common: an ability to "flip"--to think counterintuitively and then act boldly, with no regard for "business as usual" conventions. Sheahan explores six major flips:

Action Creates Clarity--to move forward you must act in spite of ambiguity. Your action will create the clarity you're looking for.To keep pace with rising expectations, you can't just be fast, good, or cheap. Instead you must recognize that Fast, Good, Cheap: Pick Three-Then Add Something Extra has become the new standard in every industry.To develop competitive advantage, you must Absolutely, Positively Sweat the Small Stuff.To satisfy customers' needs for engagement and contact--spiritual, emotional, physical--remember that it's not just business, Business Is Personal.To win mass-market success, Find It on the Fringe. The way to separate yourself from the competitive herd is to be courageous and create new market space.To Get Control, Give It Up. You cannot command and control customers or the talented staff needed to reach them. Instead you must empower others to create, dream, and believe for you.

Sheahan teaches today's decision makers how to embrace change and successfully operate in an economy that runs on new ideas. Those who take on these lessons will be in position to join other "flipstars" such as Richard Branson, Google, Toyota, Rupert Murdoch, and Apple.

Stick to what you learned in business school at your peril. . . . The small-world economy calls for a new way of doing business. It calls for Flip.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061558958
• ISBN13: 9780061558955
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A book worth reading it!

First of all, I really enjoyed reading the book. The style it is written in is very personal; while reading you can imagine the author sitting next to you in a bar and having a chat about economic possibilites. Sheahan has in my opinion a very fresh style of writing. Maybe this comes from the well known Australian mateship. Besides this the book gives the reader a lot of examples for everything he explains. [...] The complete review can be found here: http://blog.martinbaart.de/2009/05/25/flip/

Change is difficult but we be flexible

I haven't completed the book yet. This isn't something that you set down and read from cover to cover than move on to the next book. It really is a workbook that requires you to complete some tasks at the end of most chapters to really get the most out of it. A great book for all, young and old.

brings new insights

While this book may cover many of the same principles as other marketing books, it puts them into a contemporary context which is very thought-provoking. As a small business owner, I found myself motivated to complete the actions at the end of the chapters since it put the actions into comprehensible, non-threatening messages. I had some powerful insights which I will be putting into action.

Well-written and inspiring

My husband told me that it's been a long time since I raved about a business book this much. As a, um, somewhat older business woman, I have a lot of knowledge about how business has been over the last 30 years. There are the basics that I absolutely believe in, like planning and measuring results against the plan. What this book showed me was a new way of looking at things that brings in the attitudes of people my sons' age. I'd heard some of the concepts before, because I've was in technology most of my career. I participated in one of the early InnovationJams that occured in IBM which is mentioned in this book. I confess, that I didn't totally "get it" at the time. But put in the context of this book, I understand it more. The best aspect of this book is it's readability. It's not so dense that you need to "wade through" it. It's not so light that you feel you haven't gotten your money's worth. In fact, I got my copy from the library. However, I know I will be getting my own copy soon, if only to ponder some of the exercises included in the book.

Some typical stuff, a few new things

Sheahan covers some well trod territory: price is about customer value, not just a low balled number; the great ideas come from the fringe of the herd, not the middle; once expectations are met the bar is automatically raised higher. Good stuff. But the Harry Beckwith series covers it better. Why a four then? The book's first section talks about a simple yet profound formula: action brings clarity. You need to be in the game, as imperfect as your game may be. If not ,you don't get the info you need to be better, to find out what works, what does not., and to see ambiguity as a friend, not an enemy. I have not seen it quite expressed this way and makes the book a worthwhile addition to your business books.