How to Prepare Now for What's Next

Disruption is changing the playing field – keep your successful business on top

Thriving businesses on top of their game are targets for disruption. But for savvy business owners and managers who understand the coming changes, the time to future-proof their successful companies is now. Following over a decade of research into future trends, business reinvention and disruptive innovation, author Michael McQueen presents How to Prepare Now for What’s Next, a blueprint for top companies to thrive in turbulent times.

McQueen brings rare insight to the topic of business disruption. The book first explores the notion of disruption itself, and confirms that the term is much more than just guru-speak. The book outlines the four primary forms of disruption that McQueen sees playing out over the next 5-10 years, and quickly moves on to the in-depth tools, tips and techniques that healthy businesses will need to stay on top.

• Use a simple tool to assess just how vulnerable to disruption your company is
• Read case studies, research and trend reports that highlight real-world examples to complement the book’s concepts
• Understand the four forms of disruption, namely widescale automation, empowered consumers, unconventional competition and emerging generations

• Apply the 9 keys to future-proof your business against disruption and make it impervious to change

The time to act is now for the businesses who want to keep their edge, and How to Prepare Now for What’s Next is the guide to continue thriving.

About the author xiii

Introduction xv

Part I: The Four Key Disruptions 1

1. Widescale Automation 5

2. Empowered Consumers 33

3. Unconventional Competition 47

4. Emerging Generations 63

Part II: 9 Keys to Thriving in an Age of Disruption 81

5. Dig the Well Before You Get Thirsty 83

6. Fail Fast, Frequently and Frugally 99

7. Don’t Pave the Cattle Track 115

8. Foster Healthy Paranoia 129

9. Focus on Friction 147

10. Be Different, Not Better 163

11. Spare No Sacred Cows 179

12. Adopt a Posture of Curiosity 195

13. Think like a Startup 217

Conclusion 233

Appendix A: The Disruptibility Index 235

Appendix B: The Societal Implications of Automation 239

Acknowledgements 257

References 259

Index 285

MICHAEL McQUEEN is an award-winning speaker, business strategist and trend forecaster. He has helped many of the world's best-known brands maintain relevance and is the author of five best-selling books.

www.michaelmcqueen.net

BE READY FOR THE FUTURE OR BE PART OF THE PAST

Disruption looms large on the horizon and no organisation, institution or individual will be immune.

How can you survive the upcoming storm and stay one step ahead of change?

This landmark book gives you deep insights into the trends and disruptions that lie ahead, along with a proven game plan for surviving and thriving in turbulent times.

'Michael does a superb job of simplifying the complex and provides leaders with a structured approach they can follow in order to stay one step ahead of disruption.'
— Mark Merritt, Associate Director, KPMG