Synopses & Reviews
This is a story of reinvention.
Jim Whitehurst, celebrated president and CEO of one of the worlds most revolutionary software companies, tells first-hand his journey from traditional manager (Delta Air Lines, Boston Consulting Group) and “chief” problem solver to CEO of one of the most open organizational environments hed ever encountered. This challenging transition, and what Whitehurst learned in the interim, has paved the way for a new way of managing—one this modern leader sees as the only way companies will successfully function in the future. Whitehurst says beyond embracing the technology that has so far disrupted entire industries, companies must now adapt their management and organizational design to better fit the Information Age. His mantra? “Adapt or die.”
Indeed, the successful company Whitehurst leads—the open source giant Red Hat—has become the organizational poster child for how to reboot, redesign, and reinvent an organization for a decentralized, digital age. Based on open source principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration, “open management” challenges conventional business ideas about what companies are, how they run, and how they make money. This book provides the blueprint for putting it into practice in your own firm. He covers challenges that have been missing from the conversation to date, among them: how to scale engagement; how to have healthy debates that net progress; and how to attract and keep the “Social Generation” of workers.
Through a mix of vibrant stories, candid lessons, and tested processes, Whitehurst shows how Red Hat has blown the traditional operating model to pieces by emerging out of a pure bottom up culture and learning how to execute it at scale. And he explains what other companies are, and need to be doing to bring this open style into all facets of the organization. By showing how to apply open source methods to everything from structure, management, and strategy to a firms customer and partner relationships, leaders and teams will now have the tools needed to reach a new level of work. And with that new level of work comes unparalleled success.
The Open Organization is your new resource for doing business differently. Get ready to make traditional management thinking obsolete.
Review
CEO Jim Whitehurst's
The Open Organization is the best business book of the year.”
Seeking Alpha (seekingalpha.com)ADVANCE PRAISE for The Open Organization:
MICHAEL DELL, Chairman and CEO, Dell
In The Open Organization, Jim Whitehurst clearly demonstrates how building avidly engaged communities of employees, partners, and customers can ignite the kind of passion and innovation that drive outsized results for businesses and for society as a whole. This is a great read for anyone hoping to lead and succeed in a society being redefined by expectations of transparency, authenticity, accessand yes, openness.”
CHRIS ANDERSON, Cofounder and CEO, 3D Robotics; former Editor in Chief, Wired magazine
In a wired world, everyone knows that management needs to change from command and control to leadership based on transparency, collaboration, and participation. But the question is, how do you actually lead that way? Jim Whitehursts interesting tale of his own reinvention as a leader, with lessons from other leaders in companies such as Whole Foods, Pixar, and Zappos, finally provides the blueprint that leaders have been seeking.”
JEANIE DANIEL DUCK, Former Senior Partner and Managing Director, The Boston Consulting Group; author, The Change Monster
Many people are wary of change. For executives who worry about Millennial employees and the power of the internet, it is scary indeed. Yet those same employees could offer valuable new perspectives, ideas, and passion. The question is, how do todays managers capture those desirable attributes without setting off the perfect storm? The answers are in Jim Whitehursts book.”
CHARLENE LI, Founder and CEO, Altimeter Group; author, The Engaged Leader and Open Leadership
In todays disruptive economy, only the leadersand their organizationswho are open and learn to adapt to the fast-changing needs of customers and employees will survive. Whitehurst speaks from personal experience about what worksand what doesntto foster openness and speed. If you have even an inkling of a desire to lead an innovative, fast-moving, and engaged organization, this book is for you.”
JOHN CHAMBERS, Chairman and CEO, Cisco
With The Open Organization, Whitehurst takes us where all leaders need to be if we want to succeed in the futureoutside of our traditional comfort zones.”
Synopsis
A blueprint for reinvention.
Today's leaders know that spped and agility are the keys to any company's success, and yet many are frustrated that their organizations can't move fast enough to stay competitive. The typical chain of command is too slow; internal resources are too limited; people are already executing beyond normal expectations. As the pace accelerates, how do you inspire people's energy and creativity? How do you collaborate with customers, vendors, and partners to keep your organization on the cutting edge? What kind of organization matches the speed and complexity that businesses must master--and how do you build that organization?
Jim Whitehurst, CEO of Red Hat, one of the world's most revolutionary companies, shows how open principles of management--based on transparency, participation, and community--reinvent the organization for the fast-paced connected era. Whitehurst gives readers an insider's look into how an open and innovative organizational model works. He shows how to leverage it to build community, respond quickly to opportunities, harness resources and talent both inside and outside the organization, and inspire, motivate, and empower people at all levels to act with accountability.
The Open Organization is a must-read for leaders struggling to adapt their management practices to the values of the digital and social age. Brimming with Whitehurst's personal stories and candid advice for leading an open organization, as well as with instructive examples from employees and managers at Red Hat and companies such as Google, The Body Shop, and Whole Foods, this book provides the blueprint for reinventing your organization.
Synopsis
TODAYS LEADERS KNOW THAT SPEED and agility are the keys to any companys success, and yet many are frustrated that their organizations cant move fast enough to stay competitive. The typical chain of command is too slow; internal resources are too limited; people are already executing beyond normal expectations. As the pace accelerates, how do you inspire peoples energy and creativity? How do you collaborate with customers, vendors, and partners to keep your organization on the cutting edge? What kind of organization matches the speed and complexity that businesses must masterand how do you build that organization?
Jim Whitehurst, CEO of Red Hat, one of the worlds most revolutionary companies, shows how open principles of managementbased on transparency, participation, and communityreinvent the organization for the fast-paced connected era. Whitehurst gives readers an insiders look into how an open and innovative organizational model works. He shows how to leverage it to build community, respond quickly to opportunities, harness resources and talent both inside and outside the organization, and inspire, motivate, and empower people at all levels to act with accountability.
The Open Organization is a must-read for leaders struggling to adapt their management practices to the values of the digital and social age. Brimming with Whitehursts personal stories and candid advice for leading an open organization, as well as with instructive examples from employees and managers at Red Hat and companies such as Google, The Body Shop, and Whole Foods, this book provides the blueprint for reinventing your organization.
About the Author
JIM WHITEHURST is CEO of Red Hat, the largest open source software company in the world. Before joining Red Hat, Whitehurst held various positions at Delta Air Lines, most recently as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for operations, sales and customer service, network and revenue management, marketing, and corporate strategy. Prior to joining Delta, he was a Partner at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and held various leadership roles in BCGs Chicago, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Atlanta offices.