Beat the System: 11 Secrets to Building an Entrepreneurial Culture in a Bureaucratic World
Wiley, October 2007
Does bureaucratic inertia have your business locked in a losing status
quo? Are you being held back by gray suits who won't allow innovation
and creativity at work? Do you want to build a business that isn't
slowed down by the concrete shoes of bureaucratic indecision or stifled
by unimaginative groupthink? If so, maybe it's time to beat the system!
In this insurgent guide to business success, Robert MacDonald shows
professionals, business leaders, and entrepreneurs how to smash the
bureaucracy that smothers the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit
essential to long-term business success. Whether you own a small
business, run a large corporation, or work for someone else, Beat the System
provides proven, real-world advice for building an entrepreneurial
culture in your entire organization, your department, or even in your
individual position.
When MacDonald founded LifeUSA, people thought he was a madman for
trying to compete against giant, entrenched competition in the stagnant
life insurance industry. But with a willingness to challenge the status
quo and question the rules of the system, he grew LifeUSA into a hugely
successful player in an industry that was actually shrinking at the
time. Now, he shares the eleven entrepreneurial secrets he used to
defeat bigger and stronger competitors.
We live in a bureaucratic world, but fighting the status quo is a business strategy that works. Beat the System
outlines a proven plan for creating a business culture that creates,
innovates, and moves fast enough to overtake even the most entrenched
competition. Whether you're starting a new business or simply trying to
advance your career, you really can succeed wildly if you have the
right weapons to storm the battlements of bureaucracy.
Nobody said it would be easy; fighting the forces of darkness never is.
But with these smart, entrepreneurial strategies, total unconditional
victory will be yours -- but only if you play by your own rules. Beat the System is a practical, worldly guide to developing your own entrepreneurial,
revolutionary spirit and building that spirit into every brick of your
organization.
It's time to take a stand and call out the agents of oppression: "Mr. Bureaucrat, tear down this wall!
hardcover | ISBN: 9780470175491 | Publication Date: October 2007
Reviews:
"The equivalent of an MBA all in one great book! MacDonald's entrepreneurship provides intellectual energy to transform dreams into reality."
--Ken Dahlberg, entrepreneur extraordinaire and decorated World War II Flying Ace, founder, Dahlberg Hearing, Miracle Ear, and Carefree Capital, Inc.
"This is a gloves-off call to action, from America's most authoritative expert on the idea and action known as entrepreneurship. MacDonald not only knows what to do, he coaches and exhorts you to do it, and do it well!"
--John Klymshyn, bestselling author of The Ultimate Sales Manager's Guide and How to Sell Without Being a Jerk!
"MacDonald gives his readers permission to beat the system and then identifies what it takes to create that entrepreneurial culture, honestly, through creativity and innovation. His practical approach provides guidance for anyone looking to reinvent themselves."
--Sally J. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc.
"If you've ever dreamed of owning your own business, or just breaking away from the corporate drones that surround you, MacDonald gives you
the perfect road map. His eleven secrets come from his own experience
as a successful entrepreneur in a bureaucratic world, so you know they
work. A great read!"
--Warren Greshes, author of The Best Damn Sales Book Ever
"In America, we are constantly bombarded by messages that say: This is
the land of opportunity! Go for it! Live your dreams! And yet the
system is designed to take the wind out of our sails and keep us stuck
exactly where we are. In his terrific new book, MacDonald reveals how
to take your job or your business exactly where you want it to go. If
you ever feel like the system is keeping you down -- buy this book and
read it now!"
--Joe Calloway, author of Work Like You're Showing Off!
"Caution: Using the lessons from this book will turn your slow,
unresponsive company into a nimble, focused, and ferocious competitor. MacDonald provides a hands-on guide for building a culture that delivers results year in and year out."
--Randy G. Pennington, author of Results Rule!
