Abstract
Daniel Burrus, The Anticipatory Organisation, 2017, Austin, Texas: Greenleaf Book Group Press, 195 pp., US$21.95 (Hardbound). ISBN: 978-1-62634-446-4
This book challenges the readers to think differently about their assumptions and perceived opportunities. The book is stimulated reading encouraging counter-arguments. The book has been written in simple style with full of explanatory examples. The 12 chapters of the book have been divided into four sections. Each section highlights different types of transformation. The first and second chapters are about transforming planning and transforming innovation, respectively. Last two sections are devoted to transforming culture and transforming results.
In his book The Anticipatory Organisation, Daniel Burrus is offering a comprehensive new way to identify the game-changing opportunities of the organizations and individuals can uncover by employing a completely new model of thinking, planning, innovating and taking actions based on anticipation. Some of the ideas such as Inside-Out (discussed by Steven R. Covey in Part one of his book—The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People first published in 1989) are old, but the author has very well re-explained these concepts in the context of Anticipatory Organisation. The book could have included contemporary issue of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) widely published and discussed by some Indian authors.
The key message in the first section of book is the utility of anticipatory organisation. It is about knowing what is next. The Anticipatory Organization Model presented by Danniel Burrus allows modern organizations to see the future with great precision and from there make a critical decision and plans with confidence and certainty. The organizations like Uber and Netflix had successfully identified game-changing opportunities by predicting future disruptions, problems and customer needs. The organizations should be able to identify and understand implications of Hard Trends and Soft Trends. The Hard Trends, such as technology, demographics, government regulations etc., cannot be influenced by the organizations The Soft Trends are those changes which can be influenced. They are open to change such as China’s demand for raw materials, which will never decline and with increasing average age in India, many will retire, they bring their valuable experience with them. These Soft Trends can be leveraged and influenced to unlock enormous opportunities.
The second section is devoted to developing opportunities, which may be attempted through accelerated innovation. There is need of exponential innovations which are game-changing and disruptive in nature. Many organizations fail to see the game-changing innovations that are happening all around them. They do not connect it with their businesses; such organizations are obsessed with review mirror thinking. The people in these types of organizations are over busy in executing current strategy. The message is to move beyond competition. Merely trying to keep pace with competition will not provide the sort of competitive advantages businesses need in the context of transformation and technological changes. The author of this book argues that one should learn to skip the present problems and divert energies to real problems and to work on some other solutions. The opportunity manager, who scans all trends to identify and develop game-changing opportunities, can direct changes from inside-out.
After knowing what is next and developing opportunities, the book logically takes up the issue of shaping the future in the third section. The organizations should elevate their views of future. How you act in present determines your future. The organizations are advised to see the opportunities with Anticipatory Mind Set. To accelerate success, all the stakeholders should share Future View and the organizations must transform their culture to happen this. The organizations should also elevate planning by scanning the Hard and Soft Trends, and these will help in accelerating results. Do not just take time to work in your business, take the time as well to work on your business. The final message of section three of this book is to be ‘Disruptor and Not the Disrupted’.
The last and fourth section of the book is devoted to Accelerating Success. No matter how far and how fast the organizations progress technologically, it will remain a human world where positive relationships based on trust matter. The best way to develop relationship is by rewarding desired behaviour, enhancing understanding and trust through communication and collaboration. In wrapping up this book on anticipatory organisation, the author suggests that the modern organizations and individuals should direct their future by sharing their future view with others and align their view with yours, so that all thrive together.
The added feature of this book is appendix on 25 proven strategies to shape the future and definition of principles and key terms. The book is highly recommended for practicing managers and the academicians interested in organizational theory, design and change.