Kill the Company

End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution

By: Lisa Bodell

Narrated by: Margie Lenhart

In the ever-changing world of business, we've arrived at a point where process has trumped culture, where the race toward efficiency has made us complacent and unable to reach our potential. Stuck in the land of status quo, we've forgotten how to think. And the very structures put in place to help businesses grow are now holding them back. It's time to Kill the Company.

What this audiobook suggests is simple: to SIMPLIFY by getting rid of things first rather than continually building on what doesn't work; a form of spring cleaning for your organization. Innovation specialist Lisa Bodell urges companies to question assumptions and to challenge rules that have outlived their time.

Killing these status quo attitudes makes space for change and more value-added work, like thinking. Bodell tells us that these changes need not be one-size-fits-all initiatives that are forced upon employees. Instead, we need to embrace smaller, positive behavioral changes that create ripple effects throughout the organization. Too many change initiatives simply add another layer of processes to the to-do lists of already overwhelmed and tired employees. Not this one. Innovation is supposed to make things better, not worse, easier, not more complicated.

Kill the Company is your guide for simplifying and streamlining, then building and maintaining a place where everyone's innovative spirit and energy fuel the long-term goals of your organization. A company that empowers its people to think critically, question relentlessly, and act boldly, to move from Zombies, Inc. to Think, Inc., will own the future.

©2012 Lisa Bodell (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Really helpful exercises and techniques shared

What did you love best about Kill the Company?

Her tips make a lot of sense and many times throughout the book, I wanted to start trying out the ideas by myself. I was able to pull my team together this week and actually use her “Assumption Reversal” tool and we got some very interesting discussion and new ideas coming out of it that we never considered for our project before.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Kill the Company?

I really liked the part where she mentioned how a typical SWOT analysis is candy-coated because it's true. I’ve done a million SWOT analysis’ in school and at work and they've become something you do, just because you're supposed to. Lisa blows this tired technique out of the water. With Kill the Company, you'd actually come up with interesting insights because it creates provocative discussion.

Did Margie Lenhart do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Non-fiction so there weren't any characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to it every day on my way to work.

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book – try it out. She also has free downloads on her website!

Love this book

Simple to read and absorb
Makes complete sense
Easy to implement
Loved every minute of it

Inspiring message about innovation

Would you listen to Kill the Company again? Why?

Yes, it was a very inspiring and powerful message about changing your organization with an innovation revolution. The tips and techniques would be a great refresher if I listened to Kill the Company again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Kill the Company?

Her book made me realize that innovation or efficiency doesn’t always have to be about a huge organization-wide overhaul – those don’t usually work anyways… But it’s about simple and easy things you can change in your daily work, like how you run a brainstorming session.

What aspect of Margie Lenhart’s performance would you have changed?

The narration’s voice could have been more exciting but she spoke clearly and I could follow along easily.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

You don't need to listen to it all in one sitting since it's not a story.

Any additional comments?

I never considered innovation to be part of my daily work before, but the way Lisa frames it makes it sound very attainable. Everything is broken down into simple steps and she tells you exactly how to execute specific tools that you can try out right away. I learned a lot from it.

Enjoyed the simple techniques shared

Would you consider the audio edition of Kill the Company to be better than the print version?

I would probably prefer the print version better because it'd be easier to refer back to the tools and exercises in the book later on. There's a chapter specifically for your "Innovation Toolkit" that would be a great reference.

What other book might you compare Kill the Company to and why?

There are probably a lot of books out there on innovation that explain the theories, benefits, and outcomes, but I bet Kill the Company is a lot more interesting and applicable. It actually outlines step-by-step 12 innovation tools that are simple and practical and this makes a huge difference compared to other books.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I enjoy audio books where the author narrates the book instead because you can get to know them. This was not the case here. This narrator for this book needs to be more lively and enthusiastic.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

As soon as I read about PPCO, one of the tools, I shared the concept with my two partners and they were into the idea too so we all agreed to start using it with our team! It's a way to provide feedback for new ideas without being harsh and shutting down the person pitching the idea. We've been too nice and trying to encourage new ideas, when they don't always make sense for our priorities. But now, we can get employees to run the idea through PPCO themselves first before bringing it to us.

Any additional comments?

I love how different and creative the techniques are. More people should know about them!

Food for thought

It provides good questions to think more creatively about the company or a department. A different perspective to a common issue

Thank You AUDIBLE for return policy. Awful Book

Would you try another book from Lisa Bodell and/or Margie Lenhart?

NO. she is regurgitating terms and issues we were spoon fed in the mid-80's that did not work effectively. Follow her lead and you will bankrupt your company before you have a chance to execute her "ideas".

What could Lisa Bodell have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I quit after one hour in (1/3), and heard nothing but lists and lists and time-worn cliches.

What didn’t you like about Margie Lenhart’s performance?

Poor narration and intonation typical of a fashion merchant

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

NONE, but I only heard 1/3 and it seemed they were already wrapping up. Snide inflection and profanity were included in body and narration. Inappropriate for true business survival and thriving.

Any additional comments?

stay away from this. If others manage to make it through the whole book; I will consider deleting review ...

juk....

What disappointed you about Kill the Company?

maybe just me, but same old...same old

What do you think your next listen will be?

some action / shoot-em-up fiction

How could the performance have been better?

narrator could be more natural

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

dissapointment, Lisa was key speaker @ SA innovaton day, i think i expected more

Any additional comments?

this is how we learn