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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Phil Le-Brun and Jana Werner’s The Octopus Organization is a business and leadership guide about helping organizations adapt to a world of constant change. Le-Brun and Werner begin with the Tin Man, a picture of traditional workplaces built around fixed structures and instructions from the top. They then introduce the octopus, whose eight arms can respond independently while working together, as a model for how companies can operate. From there, they identify thirty-six recurring workplace habits, which they call antipatterns, and explain the everyday changes that help employees contribute more fully. The discussion moves through company strategy and communication before examining how leaders share responsibility with their teams. The authors then turn to customer relationships and the role of curiosity in developing new ideas. Each entry concludes with practical steps that readers can apply at work.
Phil Le-Brun and Jana Werner’s The Octopus Organization is an excellent leadership guide for professionals seeking advice they can put to work. I appreciate how directly each habit is explained, with steps that give readers something to try. That approach is valuable because the examples show how the habits work in practice. Ryan Seaman, chief information officer at Western Union, asks his teams which work should stop, then which work deserves to continue. Their answers led him to halt sixty percent of active projects. Think about what it means to take employees’ judgment that seriously. The research also comes through in the account of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos calling the customer helpline after seeing figures claiming waits under a minute. He spends ten minutes waiting for an answer. This kind of firsthand checking gives the guide its usefulness. Professionals looking to improve their leadership are in for a treat. Very highly recommended.
