Book Review - The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success by Carmine Gallo
Category Book Review Carmine Gallo The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success
Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing Carmine Gallo's book The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs. Based on how much I learned from that book, I jumped at the opportunity to review his latest book... The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success. I wasn't disappointed, either. I found a number of interesting insights on innovation here, and I had more than a few strips of paper marking pages of particular interest. I came away with a greater appreciation for what Jobs has accomplished, as well as some mindsets that are good takeaways for my own areas of interest.
Contents:
Introduction: What the World Needs Now Is More Jobs - Steve Jobs
Principle 1 - Do What You Love
Chapter 2 - Follow Your Heart
Chapter 3 - Think Differently About Your Career
Principle 2 - Put a Dent in the Universe
Chapter 4 - Inspire Evangelists
Chapter 5 - Think Differently About Your Vision
Principle 3 - Kick-Start Your Brain
Chapter 6 - Seek Out New Experiences
Chapter 7 - Think Differently About How You Think
Principle 4 - Sell Dreams, Not Products
Chapter 8 - See Genius in Their Craziness
Chapter 9 - Think Differently About Your Customers
Principle 5 - Say No to 1,000 Things
Chapter 10 - Simplicity Is the Ultimate Sophistication
Chapter 11 - Think Differently About Design
Principle 6 - Create Insanely Great Experiences
Chapter 12 - We're Here to Help You Grow
Chapter 13 - Think Differently About Your Brand Experience
Principle 7 - Master the Message
Chapter 14 - The World's Greatest Corporate Storyteller
Chapter 15 - Think Differently About Your Story
One More Thing... Don't Let the Bozos Get You Down
Notes; Index
Gallo has taken an in-depth look at the life and career of Steve Jobs, and from that he distilled seven main principles that appear at the core of much of the innovation that Jobs has driven. For each principle, he takes two chapters to flesh out the details. The first chapter of the pair focuses primarily on Jobs and how the principle plays out in how Jobs works and what he's accomplished. The second chapter then moves on to others who have displayed the same principle, as well as how you can instill that attitude and character in your own life. Given that Gallo is basing his principles on observation of actions, they are not some ethereal pie-in-the-sky platitudes that don't play out in real life. The principles are solid and down-to-earth, and they are things that you can distill and apply in your own life.
I mentioned that I bookmarked a number of pages. These pages had statements and thoughts that resonated with me, and that I wanted to make sure to revisit. For instance, in the chapter on following your heart, Gallo pointed out that you don't always know where you will end up when you do that. "Dots do not connect looking forward, Jobs would say. Dots only connect when you look backward. You must trust that, by following your curiosity, the pieces will ultimately fit." How very true. The future is unknowable, and often it only makes sense looking back. But you can't live your life looking backward. Another instance is in the chapter on thinking differently about design. All too often we want to do everything and include everything in our products and life. But that doesn't lead to a productive and disciplined life... it just leads to a busy life. He suggests that you follow the example of Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great, and think through a "stop doing" list. Focus on the things that produce value in your product (and your life) and eliminate the chaff that distracts from that. Once done, you stand a much greater chance of truly making a difference.
You could probably spend time looking at the life of Steve Jobs and come up with a different list of "secrets" based on your own observations and viewpoints. But Gallo's material is excellent, and I can't argue with any of his conclusions. While not a perfect person by any means (and nobody is, anyway), Jobs has arguably made a significant different in our lives, and we could do well to incorporate some of his "secrets" in our own lives.
Disclosure:
Obtained From: Publisher
Payment: Borrowed
Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing Carmine Gallo's book The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs. Based on how much I learned from that book, I jumped at the opportunity to review his latest book... The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success. I wasn't disappointed, either. I found a number of interesting insights on innovation here, and I had more than a few strips of paper marking pages of particular interest. I came away with a greater appreciation for what Jobs has accomplished, as well as some mindsets that are good takeaways for my own areas of interest.
Contents:
Introduction: What the World Needs Now Is More Jobs - Steve Jobs
Principle 1 - Do What You Love
Chapter 2 - Follow Your Heart
Chapter 3 - Think Differently About Your Career
Principle 2 - Put a Dent in the Universe
Chapter 4 - Inspire Evangelists
Chapter 5 - Think Differently About Your Vision
Principle 3 - Kick-Start Your Brain
Chapter 6 - Seek Out New Experiences
Chapter 7 - Think Differently About How You Think
Principle 4 - Sell Dreams, Not Products
Chapter 8 - See Genius in Their Craziness
Chapter 9 - Think Differently About Your Customers
Principle 5 - Say No to 1,000 Things
Chapter 10 - Simplicity Is the Ultimate Sophistication
Chapter 11 - Think Differently About Design
Principle 6 - Create Insanely Great Experiences
Chapter 12 - We're Here to Help You Grow
Chapter 13 - Think Differently About Your Brand Experience
Principle 7 - Master the Message
Chapter 14 - The World's Greatest Corporate Storyteller
Chapter 15 - Think Differently About Your Story
One More Thing... Don't Let the Bozos Get You Down
Notes; Index
Gallo has taken an in-depth look at the life and career of Steve Jobs, and from that he distilled seven main principles that appear at the core of much of the innovation that Jobs has driven. For each principle, he takes two chapters to flesh out the details. The first chapter of the pair focuses primarily on Jobs and how the principle plays out in how Jobs works and what he's accomplished. The second chapter then moves on to others who have displayed the same principle, as well as how you can instill that attitude and character in your own life. Given that Gallo is basing his principles on observation of actions, they are not some ethereal pie-in-the-sky platitudes that don't play out in real life. The principles are solid and down-to-earth, and they are things that you can distill and apply in your own life.
I mentioned that I bookmarked a number of pages. These pages had statements and thoughts that resonated with me, and that I wanted to make sure to revisit. For instance, in the chapter on following your heart, Gallo pointed out that you don't always know where you will end up when you do that. "Dots do not connect looking forward, Jobs would say. Dots only connect when you look backward. You must trust that, by following your curiosity, the pieces will ultimately fit." How very true. The future is unknowable, and often it only makes sense looking back. But you can't live your life looking backward. Another instance is in the chapter on thinking differently about design. All too often we want to do everything and include everything in our products and life. But that doesn't lead to a productive and disciplined life... it just leads to a busy life. He suggests that you follow the example of Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great, and think through a "stop doing" list. Focus on the things that produce value in your product (and your life) and eliminate the chaff that distracts from that. Once done, you stand a much greater chance of truly making a difference.
You could probably spend time looking at the life of Steve Jobs and come up with a different list of "secrets" based on your own observations and viewpoints. But Gallo's material is excellent, and I can't argue with any of his conclusions. While not a perfect person by any means (and nobody is, anyway), Jobs has arguably made a significant different in our lives, and we could do well to incorporate some of his "secrets" in our own lives.
Disclosure:
Obtained From: Publisher
Payment: Borrowed
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Posted by Patrick Kwinten At 00:47:15 On 23/01/2011 | - Website - |