The book examines the mechanisms that generate myopia in organizations and explores how organizations can foresee and contain unexpected events.

SILOS IN BUSINESS ARE NOT BAD--STOP BREAKING SILOS DOWN! Over the years, I've witnessed organization after organization struggle to improve its operational excellence. Most fail! Companies that fail to bridge the gap between strategy and execution are seriously suffering. One thing often resides at the heart of the problem -- silos in an organization. Throughout my career, I've examined the shortsightedness, or myopia, that can develop because of silos and discovered ways to overcome it. Silos exist in every organization larger than a small business startup. They must exist for an organization to operate. - We want silos! - We need silos! - We naturally form silos! So why are we taught that silos are bad? Because of the myopia, that can affect any organization in which silos are not managed properly. There are nine root causes that occur within silos that, without identification and management, can cause any organization to become myopic. Shortsighted organizations--those that fail to see the big picture or fail to have a strategic long-term vision -- suffer from Organizational Myopia (OM). An organization suffering from OM is less effective or efficient at fulfilling its mission, or is simply unable to do so at all. All organizations are naturally susceptible to OM. Most suffer from it. Unfortunately, the normal quick-fix methodologies employed by leaders and managers to deal OM -- restructuring or tearing down silos -- are almost always ineffective and only short-term solutions. So, how do we solve OM? Any leader can take actions to solve the negative effects of OM. The nine root causes must be identified and managed through a consistent and systematic application of a full-spectrum of strategic and organizational improvement methods. OM can be overcome, and silos can be good! From a technical and teaching perspective, this book provides you with the tools to break through silos and improve any organization facing OM-related issues. As a guide, reference, and roadmap, this book is designed to provide you with strategic and organizational methods that you can apply, like a surgeon, to identify and eradicate specific OM issues within your organization. This book is based on 30 years of business improvement experience. It is already proven through several executive, business consultant, and educator pre-reviews. Written for Presidents, CEOs, Executives, and Business Leaders, this book is something everyone should have dogeared and tape-flagged on their bookshelf! However, anyone in the business world, concerned about improving operations, should own a copy. John Knotts is a strategic business advisor with 30 years of experience in military, non-profit, and commercial leadership and consulting. He has an extensive background in strategy, change, process, leadership, management, human capital, training and education, innovation, design, and communication. John believes strongly in a holistic and no-nonsense approach to establishing operational excellence. Overcoming Organizational Myopia is John's initial work, highlighting the many areas of expertise where he has worked to break through siloed organizations. This book forms a platform for several future business titles related to many of the nine areas addressed.

Could the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers have been avoided? What about the control failures in the recent global financial crisis? Behind these apparently very different events, it is possible to identify a common element of organizational myopia - a syndrome that severely limits the capacity of organizations to foresee the effects of their own decisions and to recognize signs of danger or opportunity. Organizational Myopia explores the barriers that impede organizations from identifying an effective response to the problems that they have to confront. Using real-world cases, the author investigates the mechanisms that generate myopia in organizations at the individual, organizational, and interorganizational level in contexts that are complex, uncertain, ambiguous, and changeable. This book will help readers understand how to limit the origins of myopia and therefore increase the capacity of organizations to anticipate and contain unexpected events.

What business is your company really in? That's a question all executives should all ask before demand for their firm's products or services dwindles. In Marketing Myopia, Theodore Levitt offers examples of companies that became obsolete because they misunderstood what business they were in and thus what their customers wanted. He identifies the four widespread myths that put companies at risk of obsolescence and explains how business leaders can shift their attention to customers' real needs instead.

MOST OF US HAVE LIMITED SPIRITUAL VISION - and don't even know it! - With two trillion galaxies in an expanding universe, how could it be that only the Christians are "saved?" - Traditional religious symbols are losing power in a changing world (Most people don't even know they are supposed to be symbols) - Our rational minds keep wanting to question but conventional religious leaders tell us to just "trust" them (or trust scripture, or tradition) - Despite declining church attendance, interest in the spiritual search is at an all-time high. New ways of making meaning are arising. - A study of all religions reveals a common core - a longing shared by all humans. Could this be the basis of the spiritual search? - In the 21st century we need a BIGGER STORY of what religion and spirituality are all about. Our traditional scriptures were written in a time when people had no idea of the vastness of the universe. The spiritual messages they were able to receive suffered from lack of awareness about science and about wisdom from other cultures: their worldview was insular. Today educated people have little excuse for maintaining this kind of insularity. Advances in science and global communications call us to develop a more comprehensive (less myopic) perspective about the UNIVERSAL human search for meaning and connection that formed the basis for ALL our religions. In Overcoming Spiritual Myopia, practicing optometrist and award-winning author, Margaret Placentra Johnston* challenges you on a journey toward a BIGGER STORY about religion and spirituality.

Presents five approaches--strong visible leadership, "thinking" literacy, overcoming functional myopia, creating effective learning teams and managers as enablers--essential to create a true learning organization. By focusing on the learning requirements of employees, companies can impact major change initiatives such as reengineering and TQM.