The most potent catalyst in a firm's success: change In this insightful book, Jim Harris details the philosophy and specifics of creating companies that respond successfully to change. With practical advice from companies who've made resilience a corporate motto, The Learning Paradox offers insights on how to adapt to the chaotic new world of business, including how to: create, motivate, and continuously improve; create learning organizations; design systems and structures for growth; maximize shareholder value, employee security, and customer loyalty; and attract and retain the best employees. He also addresses such critical managerial issues as maintaining control, while allowing people freedom and building a positive vision of the future, even during a reorganization.

Table of Contents:
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS BOOK MAKING YOUR MARK INTRODUCTION - Gaining Comfort From Discomfort How to get the most out of this book. A guarantee and an offer. CHAPTER 1 - Shift From Satisfaction to Security We cannot predict the future - security for individuals and organizations is based on the ability to learn, change and accept uncertainty. This is what we fear most. CHAPTER 2 - The Learning Paradox Learning requires mistakes and patience. We need to overcome this fear and accept that life is difficult CHAPTER 3 - The Business of Paradigms Paradigms powerfully influence our thought and behavior. The hardest and yet most rewarding work comes from continually questioning our personal & organizational paradigms. CHAPTER 4 - Leaders Are Paradigm Innovators Management focuses on problem-solving; leadership focuses on problem-seeing and opportunity seeking. Unseen problems can't be solved; unperceived opportunities can't be seized! CHAPTER 5 - Creating Sustainable Enterprises We need to take an integrated, holistic approach to personal and organizational change. Ultimately, principle based leadership creates sustainable enterprises. CHAPTER 6 - Creating Value Leaders create the context in which employees operate. A process is outlined to develop widespread understanding of and commitment to the company mission and vision. PART II - Shifting To The New Realities Each of the following chapters discusses a new paradigm of some aspect of business that fundamentally changes traditional ways of perceiving markets, threats and opportunities. Questions and exercises at the end of each chapter are designed to provoke team discussion. CHAPTER 7 - The New Economy The rise of an economy based on knowledge, innovation and creativity is reshaping workplace and social attitudes. CHAPTER 8 - Valuing People Training and education are to people what research and development are to technological advancement. People are the primary assets. The role of human resources and education changes. CHAPTER 9 - Keeping Customers Exceeding Expectations: Customer loyalty depends on delighting customers by going beyond their expectations. What delights today will be expected tomorrow. CHAPTER 10 - EDI or DIE The New IT Paradigm: Information Technology is enabling fundamentally new relationships with customers. CHAPTER 11 - The Internet Revolution The Internet will continue to profoundly change the way organizations work. CHAPTER 12 - Business and the Environment The most important paradigm shift of our day is the environmental imperative. Being green is a philosophy, a way of doing business that will profoundly change organizations. APPENDIX - Kanban: Flexible Manufacturing EPILOGUE - Hope and Optimism INDEX ENDNOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR