The 2,000 Percent Solution: Free Your Organization From Stalled Thinking to Achieve Exponential Success

March 10, 2010

in Motivational

User Reviews Send this to a friend
The 2,000 Percent Solution: Free Your Organization from "Stalled" Thinking to Achieve Exponential Success
 
Manufacturer: Authors Choice Press
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $31.95
Sale Price: $31.95
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
Free Shipping Available
Buy Now
 

Product Description

Organizations, like people, are creatures of habit. They tend to approach problems in predictable ways. This revolutionary book argues that such ingrained habits, which often masquerade as efficient procedures, actually obstruct growth.

The 2,000 Percent Solution introduces "stallbusting," a process that shows you how to recognize typical stalls (like poor communications, disbelief, misconceptions, procrastination, tradition and bureaucracy) and how to overcome them.

Through unorthodox examples ranging from the sinking of the Titanic to sketches attributed to Leonardo da Vinci for a bicycle, The 2,000 Percent Solution redirects knee-jerk reactions onto more productive paths.

In addition, you'll learn about a new set of thought processes for designing and implementing solutions that will reap benefits 20 times greater or faster than the same tired "normal" solutions.

Packed with specific examples, advice and questions to help you improve your organization's process weaknesses, you'll learn how to go beyond today's best practices into the uncharted realm of what needs to be imagined and accomplished.

Product Details

No details are available for this product

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

Unstoppable Change: Peril or Opportunity?
 
Review Date: November 13, 2000
Reviewer: Robert Morris, Dallas, Texas
I presume to suggest that you first read the authors' more recently published book, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise in which they explain how to achieve "breakthrough gains from unstoppable change." One of the key points in that book it is imperative to understand the nature and extent of such forces as they affect a given organization...then respond accordingly. Another key point stresses the importance of anticipating future changes which inevitably create problems. Each of these problems requires an effective solution. That is, a "2,000 Percent Solution" which enables an organization to get "20 times better and faster results from the same or fewer resources."

The subtitle of this book correctly suggests why the authors wrote it: To "free" organizations from "stalled" thinking so that they can achieve "exponential success." Note the words embraced by quotation marks. Most organizations (especially the larger ones) can easily become captive to basic assumptions and presumptions which are no longer valid...or at least appropriate. As a result, those involved feel obligated to defend the status quo. Their thinking is stalled. Managers become bureaucrats. Because they are defending the status quo, they resist and resent any suggested changes of it. Of course, change does occur: The organization deteriorates. The "best and the brightest" employees leave as do under-served customers.

The reference to "exponential success" is also very significant. The authors correctly believe that, in the absence of Divine Intervention, sustainable success can only be achieved exponentially: building a skyscraper one floor at a time, paving a road to Oz one yellow brick at a time, eating a whale one bite at a time.

Part One explains how you can free your organization from "mind-forged manacles." To do so, you must overcome:

The Stall Mind-Set ["If I ignore it, it will eventually go away."]

The Tradition Stall ["But we've never done it that way before."]

The Disbelief Stall ["I can't believe you suggested that."]

The Misconception Stall ["Wet highways cause rain."]

The Unattractiveness Stall ["It may work but it just doesn't look right."]

The Communications Stall ["I'll get back to you with some feedback when I can."]

The Bureaucratic Stall ["This is highly irregular."]

The Procrastination Stall ["Interesting. I'm going to give it the careful thought it deserves."]

The authors analyze each of these familiar stalls and evasions. Then in Part Two, they suggest (and explain in detail) "Eight Steps" by which to overcome them. This book is "primarily about what to do differently rather than how to do something better than you do it today." Pogo once observed, "We have met the enemy and he is us." Stalling and evading strategies are basic to human nature. We tend to employ one or more of them whenever we feel threatened or confused or inadequate...or because, like Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener, we simply don't want to do what we are asked to do.

I highly recommend this book. The wealth of information and material is carefully organized and lucidly presented. The authors seem to have no illusions whatsoever as to the difficulty of implementing the "Eight Steps." The success of those initiatives will indeed be exponential. My guess is that organizations which have the greatest need for this book will be most resistant to its recommendations. Those involved in such organizations would be well-advised to "think small." That is, select a specific situation in which "unstalled thinking" can have an immediate, obvious, and quantifiable impact. Complete the "Eight Step Process." And then leverage that success to achieve other successes...one "2,000 Percent Solution" at a time.

Obviously, both this book and The Irresistible Growth Enterprise can be read separately and still have great value. As noted previously, I suggest that the latter be read first. I also presume to suggest that both books will have even greater value if read in combination with Peter Schwartz's The Art of the Long View.

Who knew getting results could be this easy -- and fun?
 
Review Date: January 4, 1999
Reviewer: ,
Who knew making huge leaps in achievement could be this easy -- and this fun? The 2000 Percent Solution gives you a simple process for overcoming mind blocks (the book calls them "stalls") and achieving fantastic results. The book gives funny and vivid examples (my favorite is the apes in the cage)which make the book an enjoyable read instead of just another dry essay on management. You'll be kicking yourself because you haven't recognized many of the self-imposed obstacles to progress that the authors describe. I had to read the book more than once to grasp some of the ideas in the second part and I'm sure that I will read it again to get more of the fine points. The best part of the book is that the authors give you this great concept but then they also give you a process to enable you to act on that concept. You'll actually find yourself acting differently instead of just filing the book and then proceeding with business as usual. Read this book and you'll start looking at the world in a whole new light. Suddenly the unattainable seems just around the corner!
Different and provocative approach to organizational change.
 
Review Date: March 25, 1999
Reviewer: ,
The authors have established that most organizations perform below their potential due to mind-sets that stall thinking and effective action. Applying "stallbusters" that unclog organizational thought processes, they show how companies can achieve 20 time 100 percent improvement. The first section examines seven causes for ways of thinking that stall organizations and describes stall-busting methods for overcoming these barriers so that an organization can move on toward change. Section two presents an eight-step process for making organizational change happen, aiming at achievable goals that are established to reach theoretical best practice-the most effective best practices that can possibly be accomplished. A different and provocative approach to organizational change. Recommended. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder HRconsultant.com, author of Stern's Sourcefinder The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, the CyberSpace SourceFinder, and the Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.
2000 Solutions to help keep process moving.
 
Review Date: April 13, 1999
Reviewer: ,
Being a creature of habit, I put the 2000% Solution on my bookshelf and thought about reading it. Without ever touching it, I was in a "stall". Finally, I read it!

The 2000% Solution offers is an excellent book to help keep processes moving along- both organizationally and personally. In this very entertaining and well written book, Mitchell, Coles and Metz, offered very practical, creative, innovative and thoughtful ways to overcome both simple and complex obstacles. Chapters entitled "Manana" "where many cooks improve the broth", and "the square peg in the square hole" not only ring true in terms of issues I've encountered, but also provide the necessary and rigourous solutions to improve the inherent strength of corporate organizations.

An added benefit is that the 2000% Solution also has real life, personal implications. It's true life skills for productivity an open capacity.

An excellent book

Shoot straight to success
 
Review Date: January 11, 2006
Reviewer: Rissanen Roi V, Helsinki, Finland
This book is probably one of the best investments for money that I can think of. I first read it two years ago and I keep on coming back to its guiding principles and simple steps. The magnificent 8-step program has already brought numerous positive changes into my business and personal life.

The book offers practical examples and focuses on real-life action, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. If I had to choose just one book that would be my business resource, I think it would have to be this one.

Post to Twitter

Leave a Comment



blogarama - the blog directory - Business blogs & blog posts - blog search directory - Blog DirectoryBlog Collector