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Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During Times of Change
**IMPORTANT** This award-winning innovation book has been revised, rewritten and combined into a 2-sided innovation handbook CREATE THE FUTURE, launching March 2020. EXPLOITING CHAOS is Jeremy Gutsche's award-winning, bestselling, magazine-style book about 150 ways to spark innovation during times of change. It has been translated into 7 languages, downloaded 400,000 times, tweeted 100,000 times, viewed as a 30 minute keynote 1,100,000 times, and delivered as an innovation keynote to 250 audiences totaling 150,000 people. Key lessons
1) STRATEGY - Turn chaos into opportunity
2) CULTURE - Create a culture of innovation
3) TRENDS - Filter through all the noise
4) INNOVATION - Increase your odds
5) MARKETING - Infectiously market your ideas The book is a business survival guide to profiting in the face of today's economic challenges identifies leading companies that were formed as a result of recession period opportunities, in a guide that covers such topics as innovation, future trends, and internet marketing.
1) STRATEGY - Turn chaos into opportunity
2) CULTURE - Create a culture of innovation
3) TRENDS - Filter through all the noise
4) INNOVATION - Increase your odds
5) MARKETING - Infectiously market your ideas The book is a business survival guide to profiting in the face of today's economic challenges identifies leading companies that were formed as a result of recession period opportunities, in a guide that covers such topics as innovation, future trends, and internet marketing.
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
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226 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 10, 2022
Motivational, inspirational stories and quotes to get innovative juices flowing.
Some items that stood out include:
1. Difficulty creates opportunity; difficulty can spark extraordinary ideas
2. Revolutionary ideas defy the mold of convention
3. Culture eats strategy for breakfast
4. Don't be seduced by complacency
5. Chase the right dream
Strongly recommend!
Some items that stood out include:
1. Difficulty creates opportunity; difficulty can spark extraordinary ideas
2. Revolutionary ideas defy the mold of convention
3. Culture eats strategy for breakfast
4. Don't be seduced by complacency
5. Chase the right dream
Strongly recommend!
February 27, 2021
As part of an assignment from one subject from college, we had to read certain chapters from a book. Mine was about customization and I really liked it. In the world of business, changes are constant, evolution is constant. That is why it is very important to be adaptable and ready for change at all times. It doesn't matter if we are the strongest or the most intelligent and the smartest, we must know how to adapt! Changes in technology are leading to the emergence of new leaders. Our focus should not be on keeping what we have but on adjusting to the next big thing. "Don't become a boiled frog" is one of the titles we encounter in this chapter and is a very good metaphor. Why? The frog is more sensitive to boiling water (shocking changes), as are we. But to gradually heat the water (adapt to change)? Perfection. In addition, it is important to focus on the opportunities that arise. Because a constant focus on the future can lead us to a new invention.
April 30, 2021
I wrote down several quotes, to remind myself:
Accept that the world never returns to normal (you'll miss opportunities waiting for it to happen).
You don't need to have everything figured out. (you adapt)
There is comfort in chaos (actions do not require precision, change is ongoing, you cannot control it).
It's easy to find the peak of the hill {and stay there}, look beyond your hill.
TO find a larger hill, you have to walk through a valley. (you will travel through uncertainly and will surely fail, keep going.)
I took notes on chapter Three- how to trend hunt.
1. Reset your expectations and start fresh
2. Hunt- go out and study
3. Cluster what you find, look for patterns, not trends
4. Re-cluster, look beyond and funnel your findings
Your toolkit to trend hunt - look at customers, competitors and adjacent markets. Look for cutting edge, not what is cool. Don't ignore the fringe- extreme places
You must be clear on your project and what customer need it is filling. You must ideate, synthesize (collect, filter, refine, rank, and focus) to mobilize action, prototype, test and repeat. Good ideas are ones people start to build upon, the yes-ands.
Test lots of ideas!
Accept that the world never returns to normal (you'll miss opportunities waiting for it to happen).
You don't need to have everything figured out. (you adapt)
There is comfort in chaos (actions do not require precision, change is ongoing, you cannot control it).
It's easy to find the peak of the hill {and stay there}, look beyond your hill.
TO find a larger hill, you have to walk through a valley. (you will travel through uncertainly and will surely fail, keep going.)
I took notes on chapter Three- how to trend hunt.
1. Reset your expectations and start fresh
2. Hunt- go out and study
3. Cluster what you find, look for patterns, not trends
4. Re-cluster, look beyond and funnel your findings
Your toolkit to trend hunt - look at customers, competitors and adjacent markets. Look for cutting edge, not what is cool. Don't ignore the fringe- extreme places
You must be clear on your project and what customer need it is filling. You must ideate, synthesize (collect, filter, refine, rank, and focus) to mobilize action, prototype, test and repeat. Good ideas are ones people start to build upon, the yes-ands.
Test lots of ideas!
January 10, 2019
Once you accept the inevitability of perpetual change, you can abandon your quest to gain control, and instead, go with the flow.
Don’t ask, “Do you like it?”
Ask, “What’s wrong with it?”
A culture that openly discusses imperfection is more likely to accept the failure that comes from acceptable risk.
Fire people for not failing
The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.
The concept of “7 words or less” is so powerful that some marketing boutiques, like BluePrint, do nothing but help companies arrive at 7 words or less to answer the question, “ Why should I choose you?”
http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/EXPL...
Don’t ask, “Do you like it?”
Ask, “What’s wrong with it?”
A culture that openly discusses imperfection is more likely to accept the failure that comes from acceptable risk.
Fire people for not failing
The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.
The concept of “7 words or less” is so powerful that some marketing boutiques, like BluePrint, do nothing but help companies arrive at 7 words or less to answer the question, “ Why should I choose you?”
http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/EXPL...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 19, 2021The business landscape is changing rapidly, and owners and managers need to keep up with these changes. Environmental scanning is critical to a successful business person, and innovation is one of the areas that can render a business or product useless. This is an exciting book, and this author is a good one to follow if you want to watch what is coming next.
August 1, 2020
Inspiring and motivativing. It has a practical angle as well - a bit dated at this point, but the principles are directly applicable to 2020
November 9, 2021
Very inspiring book. I think it's the best time to read it. I love the creativity of how it's written and how easy it is to understand. I definitely recommend it.
September 15, 2009
I saw Jeremy Gutsche at the ACUI Conference in Anaheim in 2009. I loved his presentation, and actually advocated that he present at the NC State graduation 2009 instead of the guy who focused on innovation at Xerox (huge innovators...no seriously, your copiers rock).
Exploiting Chaos is essentially the written (lots of pictures too) form of the presentation that he gave. The book is a wealth of information on how to get on the cutting edge of cool and how to create a culture of innovation from your current culture. It's like drinking from a fire hydrant though; the book is literally filled with ideas and even encourages readers to just read the headlines on each page as they by themselves can be inspirational slogans.
Let's be honest here, this book is not deep. Jeremy even says himself that when creating we should focus not on substance but on style and his book seems to have taken his own advice. Ever hung out with a person who feels too cool to be around your group (and he knows it)? Exploiting Chaos left me thinking "wow, jeremy gutsche is cool". I wonder if Gutsche has read too much of his own press. Eventually, I left thinking that I didn't really have much to learn from Gutsche except how to be a logo spouting, no substance tool.
I don't mean to discount the value of some of what Gutsche says. He certainly provides us with some things to think about and how to be innovative and stand out. However, Gutsche feels a little too much MTV, just a bunch of cultural filler that is like eating a 5 lb bag of gummy bears, you might enjoy it at first but by the end it leaves you feeling bloated and a little disgusted with yourself.
Let's be honest...most of our organizations suck. They're overly concerned with creating bureaucracy to control every details of every interaction, they squelch innovation and employee creativity, and they're filled with lifetime middle managers who probably don't deserve the job they have. Such is life.
The best thing you can probably get from Gutsche is to stop wasting your life working in organizations that stifle the kind of creativity and collaboration that I found myself desiring after reading "Exploiting Chaos". We're bright people and we can do better. Much like Malcolm Gladwell said, the environment tends to dictate our actions and the culture of the organizations we work for can kill our spirit if you let it. Don't be a casualty of shit bosses, make your own way and exploit the chaos in your own life to create real innovation and real opportunity.
Exploiting Chaos is essentially the written (lots of pictures too) form of the presentation that he gave. The book is a wealth of information on how to get on the cutting edge of cool and how to create a culture of innovation from your current culture. It's like drinking from a fire hydrant though; the book is literally filled with ideas and even encourages readers to just read the headlines on each page as they by themselves can be inspirational slogans.
Let's be honest here, this book is not deep. Jeremy even says himself that when creating we should focus not on substance but on style and his book seems to have taken his own advice. Ever hung out with a person who feels too cool to be around your group (and he knows it)? Exploiting Chaos left me thinking "wow, jeremy gutsche is cool". I wonder if Gutsche has read too much of his own press. Eventually, I left thinking that I didn't really have much to learn from Gutsche except how to be a logo spouting, no substance tool.
I don't mean to discount the value of some of what Gutsche says. He certainly provides us with some things to think about and how to be innovative and stand out. However, Gutsche feels a little too much MTV, just a bunch of cultural filler that is like eating a 5 lb bag of gummy bears, you might enjoy it at first but by the end it leaves you feeling bloated and a little disgusted with yourself.
Let's be honest...most of our organizations suck. They're overly concerned with creating bureaucracy to control every details of every interaction, they squelch innovation and employee creativity, and they're filled with lifetime middle managers who probably don't deserve the job they have. Such is life.
The best thing you can probably get from Gutsche is to stop wasting your life working in organizations that stifle the kind of creativity and collaboration that I found myself desiring after reading "Exploiting Chaos". We're bright people and we can do better. Much like Malcolm Gladwell said, the environment tends to dictate our actions and the culture of the organizations we work for can kill our spirit if you let it. Don't be a casualty of shit bosses, make your own way and exploit the chaos in your own life to create real innovation and real opportunity.
January 23, 2022
Our latest work book club choice. This amazing book defines 150 ways to be creative, innovate and have fun which keeping your business in the game when times change or the market is tough.
It was so much fun reading and even more fun discussing all the different areas that are covered. Gutsche takes famous companies and compares them to their competitors during serious changes in the business.
He begins as early as the typewriter, when Smith Corona ruled the innovation and how inevitably their unwillingness to fully adapt to the world and the beginning of computers ended up sending them under.
Overall Gutsche covers five areas: Strategy, Culture, Trends, Innovation, and Marketing – all things that every company needs to take into consideration as times change and new ideas come into play.
There were so many great stories, comparisons and ideas that I look forward to going back through the entire book multiple times to inspire myself.
It was so much fun reading and even more fun discussing all the different areas that are covered. Gutsche takes famous companies and compares them to their competitors during serious changes in the business.
He begins as early as the typewriter, when Smith Corona ruled the innovation and how inevitably their unwillingness to fully adapt to the world and the beginning of computers ended up sending them under.
Overall Gutsche covers five areas: Strategy, Culture, Trends, Innovation, and Marketing – all things that every company needs to take into consideration as times change and new ideas come into play.
There were so many great stories, comparisons and ideas that I look forward to going back through the entire book multiple times to inspire myself.
July 11, 2010
i really enjoyed this book. i found it in the bargain bin @ Borders. it's a book about how to spark innovation in the world of business when change is needed.
i liked the presentation found within - creative anecdotes and images. very artsy.
i found many parallels to ministry and the church.
businesses will not survive if they lack vision for the future and if they are resistant to change. the same applies to the church. frankly, that is one main reason for decline in church participation and attendance.
perhaps more ministry leaders might want to read this book. very enjoyable.
i liked the presentation found within - creative anecdotes and images. very artsy.
i found many parallels to ministry and the church.
businesses will not survive if they lack vision for the future and if they are resistant to change. the same applies to the church. frankly, that is one main reason for decline in church participation and attendance.
perhaps more ministry leaders might want to read this book. very enjoyable.
October 15, 2010
Lots of great ideas about not being afraid of tumultuous times in the marketplace. He shares lots of examples of companies which thrived despite poor economic conditions thanks to a risky idea or new way of looking at something. Also lots of examples of companies which took a very conservative approach to downturns which spelled their eventual doom. The book is broken down into little one or two page anecdotes, all with lots of pictures and charts for explanation, so it is easily picked up and put down. I heard Jeremy speak and his live talk is basically this book condensed with slides. He's a good speaker and not a bad writer.
May 8, 2012
"picture are worth than thousand words", this book is proven that. With less word, lot of images and great design is much easier for me to catch content of this book. Lot of fresh and extraordinary idea from big company has been revealed in this masterpiece. 272 pages for this book is too lite, you can finish reading this book less than 1 hour.
April 10, 2012
Incredible book. I purchased a copy for my parents. Exceptional mental stimulation.
The format makes it a quick easy coffee-table read, best taken a few pages a day so that the content can stir up ideas in your mind. This is an excellent companion for the ardent thinker.
The format makes it a quick easy coffee-table read, best taken a few pages a day so that the content can stir up ideas in your mind. This is an excellent companion for the ardent thinker.
May 25, 2015
I love this book. Fast read. Free! Comes as a pdf and I think I will print it out and carry it with me all the time. Imagine all of the brilliant ideas from innovators in one place. I will refer to this one often.
July 26, 2015
This was a fast read, and one I had a hard time putting down. Every page had me thinking! I know I will refer to this often...and have already shared several ideas spawned by this book with my Leadership Team. I had to add it to my iBooks to keep it handy for reference.
December 13, 2009
Explores the most unusual methods in business.
Avantgarde approach to work.
Great factoids about American Ad history.
Avantgarde approach to work.
Great factoids about American Ad history.
May 20, 2010
An excellent read in times of change that will define not only the future of business but also how business connects to consumers culture.
May 24, 2010
Quick bits of info with bold graphics. It all seems to make sense.
January 12, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. It had some great information, the book was exciting and interesting to read and I did not want to put it down.
April 11, 2013
Pros: This book has a lot of interesting stories and examples, very well witen.
Cons: Too much marketing oriented.
Cons: Too much marketing oriented.
October 30, 2013
interesting book and brings interesting topics :)
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January 3, 2016Not bad, so interesting trends and idea. They are put together well
April 1, 2016
my all time favorite, my brainstorming buddy!
July 16, 2016
A quick read with organised common sense ideas & ways to sparking innovation in today's constantly changing landscape.
May 11, 2020
quick read . interesting layout , excellent content.. can give 8/5
October 29, 2011
1155th - 2011
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews