The Power of Simplicity: A Management Guide to Cutting Through the Nonsense and Doing Things Right - Paperback

by Jack Trout (Author)

Renowned marketing expert and best-selling author Jack Trout has a message for managers who are struggling to keep up with today's ever-changing business climate: "Keep It Simple." In this paperback edition of The Power of Simplicity, Trout advocates the importance of paying attention to the basics and simplifying processes in order to stay focused on the core business at hand. Through case studies and interviews with successful executives, he shows managers how to cut through jargon, articulate their vision, and regain control of the vital elements of their business in order to make it thrive.According to Trout, the things that propose to streamline companies, like the ubiquitous "mission statements," often end up bogging down operations by introducing unnecessary complexity where a straightforward approach may be more effective. Trout cites Southwest Airlines, Intel, and Kohl's department stores among others as successful companies that have rejected showy trappings in favor of simplification.

Back Jacket

"Engaging... Trout practices what he preaches."--Publishers Weekly

"Compelling."--Booklist

It's high time for businesses to replace complexity with common sense, argues corporate guru Jack Trout in this impassioned yet practical guide. The best-selling coauthor of the classic Positioning shows managers how to banish jargon, articulate their vision, simplify processes, and refocus on core issues--all without expensive consultants or money-wasting programs. The Power of Simplicity throws a life jacket of reality to readers drowning in management fads and wondering why their business isn't better.

• Fight complexity. Trout and coauthor Steve Rivkin present guidelines for thinking in straightforward terms and cutting through ridiculous jargon.
• Embrace simplicity. Marketing means turning simple ideas into strategy. Such concepts aren't too basic for Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, Jack Welch of General Electric, and Andy Grove of Intel, to name a few successful CEOs who share their insights and war stories in these pages.
• Be a contrarian. Information? Too much can confuse you. Growth? It can hurt your business. It's time to look hard at knee-jerk assumptions and adjust your business practices accordingly. You'll examine how GM, Gillette, Volvo, Apple, and Xerox have either done so and been better for it or ignored these truths at their peril.
• Respect your people. Business ultimately lives or dies by people, not money. Trout's four chapters on "People Issues" are worth a library full of human resource tracts.

Author Biography

Jack Trout, one of the most famous names in the world of marketing strategy, is president of Trout & Partners. He is a popular speaker and the coauthor of such best-selling business classics as Positioning, The New Positioning, and Marketing Warfare. Trout's firm consults to such clients as AT&T, IBM, Merck, Southwest Airlines, and Warner-Lambert. He is based in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Steve Rivkin is coauthor of The New Positioning and head of his own communications consulting firm, whose clients include Kraft Foods, Olin Corp., and Horizon Health System. He is based in Glen Rock, New Jersey.