Rating: 
Summary: Excellent read
Review: A most interesting and delightfully opinionated book is the latest offering from Tom Davenport and Larry Prusack. Easily digested, this book attempts to 'out-meta' the competition in the game of management idea mindshare, by giving a framework by which other ideas are evaluated for their applicability to your organization. 'He who owns the process wins' is an oft-quoted cliché at ManyWorlds.com and this book makes a good claim for the process. But more seriously, it does introduce some important (dare I say new) thinking into the faddish and/or fatigued of management ideas. The most critical of those is that of the 'idea practitioner' - the role of the unsung heroes in organizations that translate the guru's missives from on high to that of the real-world working business. They are defined as 'individuals who use business improvement ideas to bring about change in organizations'. And to help you seek out these people in your company, Davenport and Prusack helpfully profile a number of real idea practitioners across a range of companies such as BP, Clarica, World Bank, BIC and many others. But chances are that if you are attracted to this book, you are probably an idea practitioner yourself, even in latent form.
The idea practitioner is an idea filterer who possesses the key skills of 'translation, harmonization and timing' and applies them to new ideas around the organization. It's the skill of knowing when to introduce an idea, to maximize its impact and benefit to the organization. What's the Big Idea? examines the lifecycles of ideas, internal and external adoption rates as well as describing the categories of gurus. These include academic gurus (think Michael Porter), consultant gurus (think Adrian Slywotzky), practicing manager gurus (think Jack Welch) and journalist gurus (think Tom Stewart). Of course these categories are blurred but the distinction is useful. An interesting step would be to consider what type of guru your company seems most interested in. My guess would be that hard asset companies are likely to be swayed by practicing manager and consultant type gurus, high growth companies by journalist gurus and very large enterprises by academic gurus. But the problem with being an idea practitioner is while you may be rewarded by a good profile in Davenport's next book, you may not be appreciated for your network and filtering skills by your own organization. Indeed, pursuing your interest in ideas may only be tolerated once you have proved yourself in more operational roles. Even so, such an idea driven route can be career limiting, since in every idea you sell to the organization, there will always be an ounce of personal credibility that has to go with it. But by taking the core of the idea, the 'zeitgeist' and perhaps even innovating a little on top of it to make it more acceptable to your organization, you can build on the foundation of initiatives before it. Which is just as ideas themselves do. In every idea, the authors would argue, there is a kernel of good practice that should be adopted. The problem is that there is often so much emotion wrapped up around a guru, or a leading company or the idea itself is that this kernel is often ignored or dismissed. But gurus themselves are also guilty of this practice. They often battle against each other, dismiss others' ideas or do not give credit to their sources, teams or inspiration. Sounds just like the local management corporate politics wrestled with in 90% of companies, doesn't it? Thus the role of idea practitioner becomes all the more important to the corporation, navigating both the external and internal battlefields. Overall, a highly recommended read .Additional highlights including a non-partisan ranking of the top 200 business gurus (contrast that with our traffic based rankings on ManyWorlds.com) and an interview with the immensely smart Steve Kerr, previously CLO at GE and now at Goldman Sachs, on how he 'idea practitions'.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read
Review: A most interesting and delightfully opinionated book is the latest offering from Tom Davenport and Larry Prusack. Easily digested, this book attempts to `out-meta' the competition in the game of management idea mindshare, by giving a framework by which other ideas are evaluated for their applicability to your organization. `He who owns the process wins' is an oft-quoted cliché at ManyWorlds.com and this book makes a good claim for the process. But more seriously, it does introduce some important (dare I say new) thinking into the faddish and/or fatigued of management ideas. The most critical of those is that of the `idea practitioner' - the role of the unsung heroes in organizations that translate the guru's missives from on high to that of the real-world working business. They are defined as `individuals who use business improvement ideas to bring about change in organizations'. And to help you seek out these people in your company, Davenport and Prusack helpfully profile a number of real idea practitioners across a range of companies such as BP, Clarica, World Bank, BIC and many others. But chances are that if you are attracted to this book, you are probably an idea practitioner yourself, even in latent form.
The idea practitioner is an idea filterer who possesses the key skills of `translation, harmonization and timing' and applies them to new ideas around the organization. It's the skill of knowing when to introduce an idea, to maximize its impact and benefit to the organization. What's the Big Idea? examines the lifecycles of ideas, internal and external adoption rates as well as describing the categories of gurus. These include academic gurus (think Michael Porter), consultant gurus (think Adrian Slywotzky), practicing manager gurus (think Jack Welch) and journalist gurus (think Tom Stewart). Of course these categories are blurred but the distinction is useful. An interesting step would be to consider what type of guru your company seems most interested in. My guess would be that hard asset companies are likely to be swayed by practicing manager and consultant type gurus, high growth companies by journalist gurus and very large enterprises by academic gurus. But the problem with being an idea practitioner is while you may be rewarded by a good profile in Davenport's next book, you may not be appreciated for your network and filtering skills by your own organization. Indeed, pursuing your interest in ideas may only be tolerated once you have proved yourself in more operational roles. Even so, such an idea driven route can be career limiting, since in every idea you sell to the organization, there will always be an ounce of personal credibility that has to go with it. But by taking the core of the idea, the `zeitgeist' and perhaps even innovating a little on top of it to make it more acceptable to your organization, you can build on the foundation of initiatives before it. Which is just as ideas themselves do. In every idea, the authors would argue, there is a kernel of good practice that should be adopted. The problem is that there is often so much emotion wrapped up around a guru, or a leading company or the idea itself is that this kernel is often ignored or dismissed. But gurus themselves are also guilty of this practice. They often battle against each other, dismiss others' ideas or do not give credit to their sources, teams or inspiration. Sounds just like the local management corporate politics wrestled with in 90% of companies, doesn't it? Thus the role of idea practitioner becomes all the more important to the corporation, navigating both the external and internal battlefields. Overall, a highly recommended read .Additional highlights including a non-partisan ranking of the top 200 business gurus (contrast that with our traffic based rankings on ManyWorlds.com) and an interview with the immensely smart Steve Kerr, previously CLO at GE and now at Goldman Sachs, on how he `idea practitions'.
Rating: 
Summary: HOW TO "EXECUTE" ON WHAT WE "KNOW"
Review: Chances are you feel you've read books like this before. WHAT makes an idea work? WHO in an organization makes it work? WHY are idea practitioners not always rewarded or recognized? IS your organization stifling the flow of ideas or motivating ANYONE to come up with them? Yet, veering around interviews with 100 or so actual idea practitioners, this offering from Davenport et al has a very specific thematic intent and does a fabulous job of it. Below are some thoughts that form the spine of this brilliant work -- (1) It is usually the same people who advance new business approaches at organizations. It's a whole class of people who have never been exalted to the status of high-profile business gurus (Porter, Tom Peters, Drucker, Hammer etc) despite being the ones to _actualize_ the ambitious ponderings of the Porters and Druckers of our world. (2) And no, rarities like Jack Welch may be more of an exception than the rule. Most idea practitioners are not on a fast track to the corner office. Most of them believe that they could probably have done better within the company if they had instead focused their careers on power and responsibility. (3) Yet, many of these people can't help themselves. They tend to gravitate to the jobs that have more intellectual content. (4) It is the contribution of these folk that gives companies competitive edges in times of an economic slump or industry stagnation/maturation, or even an elevated "perceived" business performance resulting in improved shareholder value and morale. (5) None of the above is conveyed in the form of fluffy business wisdom tripe. A smattering of examples from around the world support all the authors' theses -- failing K-Mart versus the expanding Walmart, the nearly bygone Westinghouse versus GE, Cemex in Mexico, Holcim in Switzerland etc. (6) Finally, amidst the profiles of the idea practitioners the authors attempt to offer a framework to evaluate and execute ideas. As for evaluation, they recommend running the idea through the litmus of the CLASSIC THREE of strategy (Efficiency, Effectiveness and Innovation). This does not come off as altogether fresh although the suggested framework is useful. As for execution, we are left more or less with the interviews and the thoughts therein. Overall, I'd say this is an engrossing book and the actual success stories are inspiring (perhaps a decent springboard for ideas too). The organization of the content could have been a little bit better but you don't have to be a true believer in the power of management ideas to appreciate the value of this book in our management thinking driven times. An important, interesting read.
Rating:
Summary: Great concept, good book
Review: Davenport and Prusak explore a great concept ... idea practitioners that take management ideas and make them work for companies. Anyone that is always trying to take the best management thinking and make it work in their company will find that this book resonates. The book explores the concept of idea practitioners, management gurus, marketing ideas internally and adapting them to your organization. It makes the case that behind the market hype of new ideas there are some good management practices that you should be considering for your organization. And that you need to find and nurture the people in your organization that drive adoption of these ideas. It's worth reading this one with The Witch Doctors: Making Sense of the Management Gurus by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge. While the concept is explored in depth, the book doesn't really provide much in the way of take-aways, ideas that you can put in practice. Great concept but only a good book.
Rating:
Summary: Ideas at Work
Review: For "idea practitioners" yearning to push their company beyond business as usual, this book is both an inspiration and a practical roadmap. Davenport, Prusak, and Wilson brush aside the bias against business ideas as transitory fads to demonstrate that, even if there is nothing new under the sun, an idea can be a perfect "fit" for a particular organization, in a particular market current, when it is translated into the company's specific language. Managers with the intuition and intelligence to successfully introduce new ideas are the protagonists of the book. One especially interesting chapter outlines the life cycle of an idea within an organization -- from progenitor to pervasiveness -- demonstrating how a good idea, when well-executed, is eventually absorbed into the corporate culture. Ideas, their champions, and their histories enliven this unusual, informative book.
Rating:
Summary: A fine guide through fads to value
Review: For anyone who has felt overwhelmed by the barrage of business and management ideas and movements, and at times even skeptical of their individual and cumulative claims, and that is most of us, this is the perfect book. Davenport and Prusak are veterans of the last two decades of management revolutions-they have been in the game long enough to look back at some of the ideas with which they have been associated with critical detachment, and to make some novel and deep sociological observations about how ideas get made, marketed, used, abused, and superceded. However, they are less interested in a blanket judgment on the idea trade than in taking a closer look and identifying what works and who is doing the working. According to D & P, none of the ideas pushed over the past couple of decades is entirely new, and none is without merit. However, none of the ideas is, or ever was, the best solution for each company in every set of circumstances. So much depends on the particular company's situation, and so much of a company's success depends on those inside the corporation-the "idea practitioners"-who select, advocate, refine, and implement the otherwise general and abstract ideas of management gurus. D & P (& W) have done a great service in refocusing attention and credit from the brand names to the practitioners, without, of course, slighting the great contributions of gurus, like themselves, to the agility and productivity of the modern enterprise.
Rating:
Summary: An important read for idea people and their bosses
Review: This book on how big new ideas get into organizations and what happens to them when they get there has a lot of intrinsic interest as well as practical value for the people who champion ideas in organizations and for senior managers who want to use them to advantage. Its profiles of real-life "idea practitioners" are fascinating business stories and object lessons in what it means to bring ideas to firms (including the potentially limiting effect on those people's careers). Davenport and Prusak know this subject from the inside. Davenport was one of the pioneers of reengineering (before it degenerated into an excuse for firing people) and both authors helped develop knowledge management; the chapters describing the life cycles of those two big ideas are especially interesting.
The authors persuasively argue that new ideas really matter to companies, not just because they can suggest a better way of doing work but because of the energy and engagement they create. Companies open to new ideas seem to do better in the long run than initially similar companies that are not. Davenport and Prusak effectively refute the criticism that business thinkers and leaders have jumped from one faddish idea to another by showing how the best of an "old" idea (like Quality) persists long after its stops being THE big idea.
As a bonus, the authors include a list of the "top 200 business gurus," ranked according to how much attention they and their ideas have gotten. This hit parade is actually a useful look at who has influenced business as well as an amusing parlor game.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable read for the idea practictioner and inspiring guru
Review: This book was a great read discredited in chapter 8. The authors did a fantastic job summarizing what makes ideas work in an organization and the business model of business gurus. Their writing style was very readable, entertaining and enjoyable making this a good read that is easily recommendable. However, in chapter 8 they speak to close to their history and represent a view of knowledge management that may not be shared by all readers. One sentence highlighting that in a chapter that is otherwise represents their bias is not enough. Also, in chapter 9, the questions presented to an idea practictioner were leading. I will however find myself quoting the book so it is still a recommended read to broaden your thought leadership and success in pushing ideas forward. For the consultant make sure you complement this book with something that allows you to capture the client's view of value.
Rating:
Summary: Great Message -- But Mavericks are Targets in a Sick Culture
Review: Thomas Davenport is now officially one of my "heroes" by championing the cause of us "idea introducers" and "boundary spanners". Unfortunately, being one of these people myself, I find that companies with an unhealthy culture (and with the associated weak/passive H.R. dept that perpetuate this sickness), ultimately cannot innovate. Their Mavericks (also known as "the man in the brown suit") get laid-off, fired, or strategically bumped out of the way. And instead, go along to get along behavior is rewarded, crafty executives who change jobs ever 2-3 years (i.e. they quit BEFORE they get fired) swoop in long enough to go for the low-hanging fruit and then leave before they ever really build anything, and in the meantime the uninvolved & uncommitted (the ones who kept their head down and did what they were told) get promoted based on seniority & politics instead of competence & contribution. So as I contemplate Davenport and Friends' latest book offering, I am moved to share this simple truth: Unhealthy culture eats: strategy for breakfast, the project schedule for lunch, troublemaker and soon to be laid-off maverick employees for dinner, and all remaining discretionary funds in the annual operating budget 6-months early for a midnite snack. We can talk until the cows come home about the latest and greatest ideas for maximizing the productivity of knowledge workers -- but the $500 question is: WHEN will executive management start treating culture management as a fiduciary responsibility? Until this happens, NOTHING else will happen -- except for the razorblade ride down to zero margins. Also, 80% of all new jobs are in companies with less than 25 employees. For the larger companies in the business landscape who think that they're going places -- there's a MESSAGE there. I really appreciate Davenport's perspective on things; and he's always been a good collaborator with other leading minds. Davenport's focus has now shifted away from I.T. and K.M. and full tilt into Human Capital and Organizational Effectiveness. AMEN! It's about time! I'm an I.T. veteran of 20+ years who is SICK of living and working in a cess-pool of low morale by staff in tandem with displacement of responsibility by executive management. CIO's everywhere sit up and take heed -- the goldmine that you seek is NOT in integration of your processes or technology; those are merely 2nd & 3rd order consequences of what's really important -- and this your Human Capital / workforce capability. ... Focus FIRST on organizational effectiveness or else find yourself on a downward spiraling path to failure because the culture and the organizational defensive routines are stronger than any 1 executive's resolve. Heed this advice or else "CIO" really does mean "career is over".
Rating:
Summary: Great Message -- But Mavericks are Targets in a Sick Culture
Review: Thomas Davenport is now officially one of my "heroes" by championing the cause of us "idea introducers" and "boundary spanners". Unfortunately, being one of these people myself, I find that companies with an unhealthy culture (and with the associated weak/passive H.R. dept that perpetuate this sickness), ultimately cannot innovate. Their Mavericks (also known as "the man in the brown suit") get laid-off, fired, or strategically bumped out of the way. And instead, go along to get along behavior is rewarded, crafty executives who change jobs ever 2-3 years (i.e. they quit BEFORE they get fired) swoop in long enough to go for the low-hanging fruit and then leave before they ever really build anything, and in the meantime the uninvolved & uncommitted (the ones who kept their head down and did what they were told) get promoted based on seniority & politics instead of competence & contribution. So as I contemplate Davenport and Friends' latest book offering, I am moved to share this simple truth: Unhealthy culture eats: strategy for breakfast, the project schedule for lunch, troublemaker and soon to be laid-off maverick employees for dinner, and all remaining discretionary funds in the annual operating budget 6-months early for a midnite snack. We can talk until the cows come home about the latest and greatest ideas for maximizing the productivity of knowledge workers -- but the $500 question is: WHEN will executive management start treating culture management as a fiduciary responsibility? Until this happens, NOTHING else will happen -- except for the razorblade ride down to zero margins. Also, 80% of all new jobs are in companies with less than 25 employees. For the larger companies in the business landscape who think that they're going places -- there's a MESSAGE there. I really appreciate Davenport's perspective on things; and he's always been a good collaborator with other leading minds. Davenport's focus has now shifted away from I.T. and K.M. and full tilt into Human Capital and Organizational Effectiveness. AMEN! It's about time! I'm an I.T. veteran of 20+ years who is SICK of living and working in a cess-pool of low morale by staff in tandem with displacement of responsibility by executive management. CIO's everywhere sit up and take heed -- the goldmine that you seek is NOT in integration of your processes or technology; those are merely 2nd & 3rd order consequences of what's really important -- and this your Human Capital / workforce capability. ... Focus FIRST on organizational effectiveness or else find yourself on a downward spiraling path to failure because the culture and the organizational defensive routines are stronger than any 1 executive's resolve. Heed this advice or else "CIO" really does mean "career is over".
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