Loose: The Future of Business is Letting Go

by Martin Thomas

The way we do business has to change. One of the greatest weaknesses of many organisations is the delusion of being in control. The future is loose - loose organisations, loose management styles and loose ways of working. Author Martin Thomas describes how more open ways of thinking and operating are beginning to pervade even the largest and most complex institutions, from global corporations to government departments. There are limits to being loose, but freedom can exist within a framework.

By building on cutting-edge case studies and conversations with the smartest business people from around the globe, LOOSE challenges received wisdom and explains new ways of managing companies, building brands, engaging with customer and marketing products and services. LOOSE will help you change you terms of business, before they are changed for you.

Genres: Leadership, Business

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2011

Reviews

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

In today's business world, the old rules are dead.

Martin Thomas talks about the need for businesses to become less structured and approach business life more creatively. His ideas for how to do this are: trust the people, open for business, live life in beta, get real, create a collaborative corporation, and rethink branding.

He guides you with principles because practices don't work in every situation. The book is filled with stories of how businesses have used these ideas to inspire your own creativity.

I recommend it for managers.

[Petra Smelak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book - could easily be a Simple Handbook for managers of companies, explaining how to stop solving every problem with more procedures and paperwork and how important it is to trust your people and giving them space to work effectively without all the control and need for approvals.

[hemlet kiai · Rating 3 out of 5]

insightful. will need lots of courage to go with the flow. but i think i can go with it.

[Jur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trust, openness and flexibility vs control as a way to organise, with links to new social media
This doesn't mean anarchy is the solution, just that organisations are too tight now and should loosen up.

Below is the argument. It's well presented in airport management book style. Lots of inspiring (or not so) examples.

Thomas identifies three important developments in modern society:
Growing chaos and complexity
New generations of employees and consumers with new skills and social expectations
New technology (for example social media)

Companies are not ready for this: tight instead of loose
Illusion of control
Tighter regulation and protocols
More time spent on planning and monitoring
But not ready to deal with unpredictable and rapid change

The solution:
Build a culture of trust with employees and consumers
Openness
Agility
Informality
Collaboration

see also:
http://www.slideshare.net/Threepipe/m...

[Tassos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not meeting my expectations. Way too many examples and not so much theory. The book is focused in a lot of case studies, but not really examining them in details, just mentioning what happened and quickly moving to the next one.

Also a lot of focus is given on social media without an apparent connection to loose business management. The last part of the booked seemed the most promising, but again it was mostly examples focus, and most of them where poorly analysed.

I really fail to see the connection between loose management and social media

In one sentence: i found the book out of topic

[Kevin]

Summary at http://greatesthitsblog.com/category/...