It’s these types of insights that McFarland deftly blends
into this guidebook of organizational change that make
it a valuable addition to the library of business literature.
The fact that he is able to include such information in
the form of stories told by business leaders renders it
both entertaining and accessible.McFarland also includes
a fair number of informative charts and illustrations in
the book that are unobtrusive and straightforward.
McFarland delivers something of a surprise himself in
the book’s concluding section, where he writes,“When I
started this project, I didn’t intend to write a book.”Of
course, even the casual reader will recall that in the book’s
introduction McFarland reflects on the fact that both
Peter Drucker and Jim Collins had urged him to write
just such a book.Maybe it’s a sense of modesty on
McFarland’s part, but nevertheless, his book was written,
and it should hold special interest for those business leaders
who really want to consider whether there are consistent
traits in those successful companies that survive and
flourish long after the entrepreneurial days are past