Beat The System: 11 Secrets to Building an Entrepreneurial Culture in a Bureaucratic World

by Robert W. MacDonald

Overview

Smart guidelines for building flexible, innovative companies

Beat the System is a follow-up to Robert MacDonald's controversial but successful first book, Cheat to Win. Packed with proven, real-life advice, Beat the System shows readers how to deal with the bureaucracy that can smother the creativity and entrepreneurship essential to long-range business success. Beat the System teaches readers how to beat the bureaucratic system by building entrepreneurial cultures in their businesses, their departments, or even their individual jobs. MacDonald skillfully describes how business cultures develop, how bureaucratic procedures and processes seep into them, and how to build an entrepreneurial culture even as we live in a bureaucratic world. At the heart of his system are practical steps that create a sense of ownership among employees, invites their participation, creates a common mission, fosters an entrepreneurial atmosphere, and shares the rewards with all.

Robert W. MacDonald (Wayzata, MN) is a true visionary in the financial services industry who rose from a door-to-door insurance salesman to the CEO of Allianz Life of North America. He was also the founder, CEO, and chairman of LifeUSA.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470175491
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/19/2007
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.85(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Robert W. MacDonald is a true visionary and business contrarian who rose from a door-to-door insurance salesman to the very pinnacle of the corporate world. He was the founder, CEO, and chairman of LifeUSA, a life insurance company which was formed in 1987 and sold to Allianz SE for $500 million. He retired as chairman and CEO of Allianz North America. He is also the author of Cheat to Win: The Honest Way to Break All the Dishonest Rules in Business.

For more information, please visit www.cheattowin.net.

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Table of Contents

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Prologue. A Case Study for Beating The System.

Chapter 1. Bureaucracy: The Enemy of Business Success.

Chapter 2. The 11 Simple Secrets.

Chapter 3. Secret #1: Build Parallel Interests.

Chapter 4. Secret #2: Be an Architect of the Future.

Chapter 5. Secret #3: Be Decisive, Multifaceted and Ethical to a Fault.

Chapter 6. Secret #4: Know the Risk—Measure the Reward.

Chapter 7. Secret #5: Communication. Be a Shower not a Teller.

Chapter 8. Secret #6: Power to the People.

Chapter 9. Secret #7: Become a Trust Builder.

Chapter 10. Secret #8: Sharing Wealth Increases Wealth.

Chapter 11. Secret #9: Be Consistent, Constant and Concise.

Chapter 12. Secret #10: Treat Important People Like Important People.

Chapter 13. Secret #11: Do Simple Things—Simply DO Them.

Chapter 14. Building from the Inside Out: Lessons I Learned in Creating AIMS.

Epilogue: Certificate of Guaranteed Entrepreneurial Success.

Appendix. Sample Memo to the Gods.

Index.