The Breakthrough Imperative: KnowHR Book Review

May 19

The Breakthrough Imperative starts with four simple ideas:

1. Costs and prices always decline
2. Market position dictates strategy
3. Profit pools don’t stand still
4. Simplicity gets results

With that straightforward idea, authors Mark Gottfredson and Steve Shaubert launch into an excellent and actionable approach to how to solve those problems. And simplicity isn’t as easy as it might seem.

Coming off of Economic Downturn Week at KnowHR, I was particularly fascinated with this book. Here’s a management book that has deep implications for HR:

Every general manager today—all the way up to the CEO—is expected by his or her stakeholders to achieve new breakthroughs in performance—and fast. Those who don’t make visible progress toward that goal within the first year or two will likely find themselves looking for another job. It is precisely because of this growing breakthrough imperative that managers today, whether in corporations or nonprofits, need to get off to a fast start. They don’t have time for mistakes or for going back and redoing what they should have done right in the first place.

I highly recommend The Breakthrough Imperative, especially for its “those who say things can’t be done are often overtaken by those already doing it” approach. We talk a lot here about HR needing to be businesspeople first. The Breakthrough Imperative talks about getting going or getting out. I like that.

The Breakthrough Imperative: How the Best Managers Get Outstanding Results
by Mark Gottfredson and Steve Schaubert
HarperCollins, March 2008

About the Author

Frank Roche

Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.