In the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Search for the Black Pearl, Captain Jack Sparrow has a very special compass. While it looks similar to an ordinary compass, Captain Sparrow's compass has a unique ability - it always points in the direction of the thing you want most. No matter his location, the needle points in the direction he needs to travel in order to find the treasure. Follow the needle and eventually you find what you are looking for. Ah, if only it were it that easy in real life! If only we had an instrument that could guide us in determining the most effective course of action for any given moment of our journey. If only we could rely on one resource to identify true priorities from amid a storm of competing interests. If only we had a way to stay on course as we navigated the tempest that is today's business reality. Perhaps, now we do! The 4 Circles of Good Business. The model we call, The 4 Circles Compass is akin to that very special compass - one that always points in the direction we need to move. This book introduces an easy to understand and practical approach for rediscovering what drives good business. Instead of four primary directions, the 4 Circles Compass has four critical business functions depicted as interconnected Circles - operations & management, products & services, capital & finance, and governance. These represent core considerations in any business or organization, four key areas that must guide the actions and decisions of leaders and followers alike for any business endeavor to succeed. Instead of yielding to the force of magnetic north, the 4 Circles compass is influenced by the needs of its stakeholders. The needle of our compass passes throughall four critical business functions at once but highlights the area of emphasis most aligned with stakeholder needs. As those needs change, so too will the emphasis of our actions within the 4 Circles model.

Novak introduces an easy-to-understand and practical approach for rediscovering what drives good business. He maintains that there are four key areas that must guide the actions and decisions of leaders and followers alike for any business endeavor to succeed.