Rebel Talent

March 26, 2018
From Harvard Business School professor Gino comes an entertaining but overly familiar exploration of the link between fearlessness and innovation. She begins by observing that people are socialized to be rule followers, yet major inventions and innovations almost always come from ignoring prescribed rules. She goes on to propose that strict adherence to a set of rules only stifles creativity and forward-thinking on the job, leading to employee dissatisfaction. Gino presents the stories of people—Napoleon, Houdini, Captain Sullenberger—unafraid to break rules holding them back, and open to questioning their own assumptions and norms, both in the workplace and out of it. Sharing recollections of her meetings with rebels around the world, from a three-star restaurant in Modena, Italy, to call centers in rural India, Gino draws conclusions on how rule-breaking can help, rather than hurt. While energetic and fun to read, the highly narrative approach to well-traveled ground—noticeably lacking in actionable advice for the reader—make this unlikely to stand out in the crowded business advice field. Agent: Max Brockman, Brockman Inc.

May 15, 2018

Gino (Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business Sch.) looks at a variety of "rebels," including airline captain Chesley Sullenberger, Apple founder Steve Jobs, and basketball coach Gregg Popovich, as well as historical figures such as Napoleon, Leonardo da Vinci, and Blackbeard, along with lesser-known persons, including Massimo Bottura, a Michelin-starred Italian chef. Using the idiosyncratic styles of these individuals as starting-off points, the author illustrates various concepts such as diversity, authenticity, engagement, and curiosity, relating them all back to career success. While not an entirely novel approach, it's well done here, with entertaining and informative prose and aptly chosen examples. The author sprinkles her own experiences throughout, identifying issues at work that often hold us back and what we can do to break old or unproductive habits. VERDICT Entertaining and well written, in addition to being informative, this career self-help book won't put you to sleep and might actually help you out of a rut. Recommended for business and career collections.--Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2018
It would be sad, very sad, if Harvard Business School professor Gino's second book (Sidetracked, 2013) languished on shelves. It would be even more tragic if at least a handful of leaders, at big companies and small enterprises, didn't pick up some, if not all, of her five elements of nonconformity: novelty, curiosity, perspective, diversity, and authenticity. Through personal anecdotes, psychological research, and little-known references, Gino explains how each of these elements contributes to a top-functioning organization and the individuals who work there. The transformation of the venerable BBC in the early aughts hinged on its then-new leader's question: What is the one thing I should do to make things better for our viewers and listeners? To the much-rehashed notion of engagement, Gino offers the example of Doug Conant's time at Campbell's, where he instituted his 10,000-step walks and a new form of performance management. And there are lessons from Pixar, where executives made it safer to say what they thought. Readers can take heart in the search for a company that believes in and practices the power of rebellion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)