1. The cycles toolkit
The simplest, proven way to build your business.
4 c a n v a s e s to hel p you grow l i ttl e i deas i nto b i g i deas.
A B C S
SystemsCommunicate
/Check
BuildAlignment

2. The Reality…
Based on 2 years of research with over
300 companies - there are companies
that succeed and companies that fail.
The biggest difference between
winners and losers is smart winners
make good, even mediocre, ideas
great over time.
Quality
Of Ideas
Start
Learning
Cycles
No
Changes
Bad
Cycles
Smart
Winners
Lucky
Winners
Losers
Losers
Time
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3. Align/Ask
Build Ideas
Communicate
/ Check
Systematically
Improve
Follow the ABCs of
Innovation and Growth
A = Alignment
B = Build ideas
C = Communicate and Check
S = Learning Systems
How to increase
your odds of being
a smart winner?
B
C
S
A
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4. Winners build ideas over time
Alignment
Communicate
and Check
Learning
Systems
Build
ideas
Idea
Quality
ABCs
growth
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5. vAn Overview
Alignment
Build
Ideas
Communicate
/ Check
Systems
A B C S
4 c a n v a s e s to hel p you grow l i ttl e i deas i nto b i g i deas.
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6. www.cyclesbook.com
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Alignment
A If you don’t know where you’re going... Chances are
you won’t get where you want to go.
Deliverable: You should know be able to identify 3-4 True North
priorities for your company /division (True north) priorities can
be:
1. Culture/skills to develop
2. Fine tuning of the business model
3. Creation of new products/services/business methods)
Alignment is the foundation of effective growth. It is
about an honest assessment of who you are.
(CULTURE) It is about finding what is important
(MISSION) and matching this with what the market
wants (NEEDS) and plan to deliver value (fit with SKILL
and BUSINESS MODELS).

7. www.cyclesbook.com
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9. vGo from talk to specifics with TRUE NORTH
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11. Build Ideas
B Once you know what you want to do it is time to build
ideas that have a chance to deliver on your
objectives. Contrary to the belief that the ability to
build ideas is limited to a select few, there are tools,
techniques that can help any team build better ideas.
These tools are:
1. Effectuation (looking for ideas at home with the
resources you have)
2. Systematic search for stimulus (get out of the
building)
3. Diversity and willingness to bring in new
people/resources.
With these tools and techniques the process is clear,
but clear does not mean easy. Removal of fear and
an ongoing action focus is the “secret sauce” that
can pull everything together.
Deliverable: New ideas that have a good chance of being on
strategy; meaningful and unique.
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Communicate/
Check
C If you’re looking to build bigger and better ideas, you
need to get feedback.
To get effective feedback you need to be able to
explain your ideas clearly, really listen (listening is not
just hearing!), slow down to make sure you are on the
right path and most importantly be ready to kill bad
ideas.
Deliverable: Do people understand the idea, what do they
think of the idea, are we making progress. If there is no good
hope of progress, kill the idea

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Payoff
Dramatic difference how
is their life different and
better
Proof
Reason why should they
believe you and
dramatic difference

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Systems
S A lot of research has shown that systems are the key to
innovation success.
Systems are made up of interrelated components of people
and processes with a clearly defined, shared destination or
goal.
Systems work best when everyone shares an understanding
and commitment to the aim or purpose of the system.
The foundations are clarity and a commitment to learn, and
improve.
Great companies have 3 characteristics that set them apart
from the rest. These characteristics are:
1. An ability to see and build on strengths
2. A commitment to build innovation eco-systems and
3. A commitment to ongoing action
Deliverable: Simplifying the challenges, structuring the learning process,
getting better internally and in your eco-system.
Enough information to update your original TRUE NORTH cards and start
another cycle.

19. www.cyclesbook.com
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20. vGetting ready for your next Cycle
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21. CREDITS: The CYCLES BOOK
is a joint project with over 30 co-authors:
Arjan Groen Netherlands https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjan-groen-8088aa/
Bryan Cassady Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryancassady/
Caio Vinchi USA https://www.linkedin.com/in/caiovinchi/
Charles umeh Nigeria https://ng.linkedin.com/in/charismaticcharles
Deep Parekh Switzerland https://www.linkedin.com/in/deep-parekh-phd/
Dennis van der Spoel Netherlands https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisvanderspoel
Doug Hall USA https://www.linkedin.com/in/doughalleureka/
Filip Hendrickx Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/filiphendrickx/
Franck Vinchon France/Russia https://www.linkedin.com/in/franckvinchon/
Helge Christie Norway https://www.linkedin.com/in/helge-christie-b2624931/
Jef Staes Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefstaes/
John Metselaar Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmetconnect
Jurgen De Smet Belgium https://be.linkedin.com/in/jurgendesmet
Karen Green UK https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengreen-foodmentor/
Lana Jelenjev Netherlands https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanajelenjev/
Lucas Sauberschwarz Germany https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-sauberschwarz-14861123/
Lysander Weiss Germany https://www.linkedin.com/in/lysanderweiss/
Martin Gaedt Germany https://de.linkedin.com/in/martingaedt/de
Nicolas Deturck Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasdeturck/
Perry Knoppert Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryknoppert/
Reinhard Ematinger Germany https://www.linkedin.com/in/ematinger/
Sanmitra Chitte India https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanmitra/
Sergio Pereira Portugal https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiomcpereira/
Simon Vanhoucke Belgium https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonvanhoucke/
Stoyan Yankov Denmark https://www.linkedin.com/in/stoyanyankov/
Tony de Bree Netherlands https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonydebree/
Urs Rothmayr Spain https://www.linkedin.com/in/ursrothmayr/
Ursula Teubert Switzerland https://ch.linkedin.com/in/ursulateubert
Wade Milek USA https://www.linkedin.com/in/wade-milek-72883140/
Yuri Kruman USA https://www.linkedin.com/in/yurikruman/
For more information, and more tools visit: www.cyclesbook.com
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