The Chaos Imperative

Narrator Drew Birdseye's lively phrasing and appealing vocal personality help listeners stay engaged with this book, even when its abstractions are weighty or beg for more clarity. The authors use a potpourri of case examples to show how innovation requires "contained chaos," and space for new people and ideas to appear. A running case narrative involves a U.S. Army officer who learns from one of the authors how to become more open to chaos and disruption. The main argument is that too much structure and hierarchy in large organizations suppresses the unfettered creativity that enterprises need to grow. More of a big-idea book than a how-to, it needs Drew Birdseye's enthusiasm. His performance helps invite bureaucrats to be less afraid of uncertainty, disruptive people, and the free exchange of ideas. T.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine