Organizational DNA

PREVIEW THE BOOK

Why do some organizations hum like well-oiled machines, while others stall at every intersection? In today’s increasingly fast-paced race, your organization needs to shift gears quickly to succeed and grow. If it’s bogged down by micromanagement, clogged information flows, and mixed motivators, it is destined to fail.

To explain why some organizations win while others stocked with equally talented people wither, Gary L.Neilson and Bruce A. Pasternack, along with their colleagues at Booz & Company, have drawn on their combined decades of consulting experience to write RESULTS: Keep What’s Good, Fix What’s Wrong, and Unlock Great Performance. This book describes the seven types of Organizational DNA and how to optimize the performance of each.

RESULTS is an innovative, practical guide for managers at every level—from the CEO to frontline employees. Each chapter features case studies based on primary interviews of companies that have successfully fixed what’s wrong and reaped significant results. These include Caterpillar, FedEx, Nissan, Quest Diagnostics, 7-Eleven, Symantec, and Special Olympics, among others.

RESULTS not only provides the shock of recognition—“That’s me! That’s my organization!”—but also robust, actionable ideas for moving into the winner’s circle, either by becoming a Resilient organization...or remaining one.

Curious? See the book's table of contents and chapter 1 .

The book is already getting positive reviews from clients and business “influencers”

“I highly recommend this practical book of how to organize and deliver the optimal results you always wanted but never achieved.”

Dick Kovacevich, Chairman & CEO of Wells Fargo Bank

“Highly readable and right on target, Results will help readers at all leadership levels understand why their organizations fall short, frustrate talented people, and deny even the most obvious needs for change. In the hands of committed leaders, Results will get results.”

Hank McKinnell, Chairman & CEO of Pfizer Inc.
and author of A Call to Action: Taking Back Healthcare for Future Generations

“As the velocity of change accelerates, everyone has to be on the alert for weaknesses in their business. Neilson and Pasternack have given us a clear plan for how to apply the right remedy to achieve better results.”

Frank Zarb, Chairman of AIG and former CEO of Nasdaq and Smith Barney

“Whether a minion, manager, or monarch in your organization, Results is a thoughtful and well-researched tool that will help you understand the DNA of your company. Do you plan with the precision of a military machine or play it by ear? Can you turn on a dime or with the aplomb of an oil tanker? Whatever the size of your business, and wherever you play in it, you’ll find something of interest and use in this book.”

Stephen Carter, CEO of Superior Essex and former CEO of Cingular Wireless

“Bad management is like the weather—everyone likes to talk about it, but it’s hard to get anyone to actually do anything about it. This well-researched, thorough book is your first step to fixing the big picture.”

Seth Godin, author of All Marketers Are Liars

“Results is critical for any executive. You’ll learn how to figure out the DNA of your organization and then act on that knowledge. With readable tales and enlightening examples, it shows how to build on what’s good and discard what’s bad.”

Walter Isaacson, CEO of the Aspen Institute and author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

“Results identifies a number of all-too-common organizational pathologies that get in the way of business performance. More than that, Neilson and Pasternack provide explicit, example-filled advice on how to fix the problems and take your organization to the next level.”

Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford Business School,
and coauthor of The Knowing-Doing Gap

“Results makes a solid case for organization types and the four building blocks that make up a company’s DNA. Neilson and Pasternack show how business leaders can use these tools to diagnose problems and modify their DNA to create sustainable solutions and a healthy company.”

Chad Holliday, Chairman & CEO of DuPont