The Resilient Organization: How Adaptive Cultures Thrive Even When Strategy Fails

I am not really a fan of business books ...they often take the work of other scholars with little appropriate referencing and appreciation of who has gone before. But this business book is great. I found myself taking extensive notes, and seeing how I could use the brilliant insights by Valikangas in my own work as a futurist, political scientist. More and more, we are seeing how without an understanding of deep culture and without a willingness to engage in foresight, strategy fails. As it is said: culture eats strategy for breakfast. Why this is so is well developed in the Resilient Organization. I like the term, the "fallen eagles" - those assumptions of the past that got us into the mess. They were eagles for a reason, they could see things others could not. But the landscape changed and the eagles fell. Her page four, which summarizes this take on foresight is worth the price of the book. Moving from strategy to resilience however cannot be a new strategy, rather, it requires internal and external transformation. Valikangas provides us pathways as to how this is possible, drawing from her vast experience in California and Europe. I strongly recommend this book. Professor Sohail Inayatullah [...].

As a business consultant, I'm always looking for books and resources that offer new insight and at the same time are practical. The concept of the Resilient Organization captures a number of insights around what makes organizations successful long-term. I see many organizations today looking for the "secret" to creating a culture of continuous innovation and improvement - especially in the tough economic times that we have been experiencing globally. This book contains insights that are broadly applicable, both in terms of stimulating new thinking and highlighting examples and success factors that are important for any business and leadership team.

This book couldn't be more timely given today's unpredictable environment, where unexpected events are around every corner. Whether your business is dealing with the struggling global economy, the effects of environmental changes, security,emerging technologies, fierce competition,changing government regulations or all of the above, resilience is something we all need. This author clearly has a wealth of both conceptual and practical knowledge to share. Unlike many business books that simply rehash old theories or tell us more of what we already know, this book provides fresh ideas and perspectives and gives practical tools for how to apply the ideas in a real world setting. A really valuable read!

What is meant by strategic resilience in this book is somewhat different from the definition used in the abundant literature on recovery after a crisis, surviving trauma, or protecting against operational damage. The true art of strategic resilience is to wake up before such a crisis is upon us. Change before you have to (saving a great deal of money and pain). Turn threats into opportunities before they have time to form. The great advantage of such foresightedness is that it allows us the joy of discovery, experimentation, and innovation. Instead of saying, "Oh no, I have to do something before it is too late," we find ourselves saying, "Wow, that is cool. What next?" This is a book about how to systematically ask that question about what next while making serendipity your best friend.

This is a compelling collection of advice, examples, managerial principles and practices that help a company become more resilient. Not only that, it's fun to read. The case studies are insightful, interesting and well written. The writer is clearly experienced in working with senior leadership and also offers many original ideas. Rather than waiting until a crisis happens before reacting, the book offers good advice on how to practice resilience and build it into the organizational design. The book's global perspective is an additional benefit - we learn about Finnish "sisu" (persistence) as well as the role of innovation in California. The book is a rare combination of important management thought combined with specific examples and memorable stories.