This document tells about the story behind co-creation of the gamechanging book, 'The Path: Leveraging Operations in a Complex and Chaotic World', now available on Amazon.

1. This Document was provided to the Hub of Operational Excellence at
http://www.time2change.com to initiate the co-creation of the Path. 1
How Did it Start?
The trigger and the thought process behind creating the game changing book,
'The Path: Leveraging Operations in a Complex and Chaotic World'
Each one of us has a unique experience, competency and achievement in our
profession. And often, we feel like sharing our experience that could be if not vastly generic
in nature, at least be of a nature to help a significant number of people in doing something
better.
Writing is one of the best media to pass on our experience to others. Books have a
special place in communication. Like most of us who have urge to write a book sometime, it
just occurred that I wrote one myself.
Life has been a roller coaster, as I moved from being an engineer to researcher to
designer to operations manager to entrepreneur to coach and then consultant. I felt that
there is some common thread that runs across my journey through these roles.
Incidentally, during the last five years, I also happened to work on a large… really large
transformational project that employed new management concepts. And, it so happened
that I recalled all my life long experience and went deeper into the project beyond my
stated brief. The result was an experience of significant insights that people tell me is
unique, worth sharing and of benefit to my clients.
One day, during a routine meeting at the client's place, there was an undesirable
outburst of its Senior Vice-President. When the team dispersed for a tea break, I sat down
and wrote my reading of the outburst, its cause and likely effects. Upon the return of the
team, I showed the script to them. Written in a rather short time, it was more than 10 page
document and it had a case study format. When they read, they wanted to read it again
and again.
And then, I shared the incidence with my other clients. There were questions,
suggestions, new thoughts and then, further linkages to other aspects of the project and
organization…. So, I began to extend my script. It became 25 pages, then 60 pages, then 88
pages, then 120 and …. Then it crossed over 200 pages. And it covered much more than 5
years.
While I was writing, I was also assimilating several incidences, cases, dialogues, rules,
principles…trends and datasets. And those, who heard of what I was writing, encouraged
me to write further. Gradually, I started validating my assumptions, did some fact finding,
got data from multiple sources, went through classical management literature… the script
became more meaningful and robust…. And it evolved into a Change Management book, in
the specific domain of Operational Excellence. Incidentally, it also went through the eyes of
a publisher and we had an in principle agreement to take it through the rigor of publishing
process.
Copyrights 2013 © Shridhar Lolla. All Rights Reserved.
This document was shared as a part of the preview process with the members of www.time2change.co.in on 02Jun2012. It is now revised
in retrospect on 28Feb2013 to let the readers of The Path know how the book was co-created. Distribution or reproduction of this
document in part or full in any form requires explicit reference to the title and the copyrights holder.

2. This Document was provided to the Hub of Operational Excellence at
http://www.time2change.com to initiate the co-creation of the Path. 2
Then, I reached a stage, where I already had got the first print (Alpha Version) for
myself to see how it looks physically (thanks to desktop publishing). I had circulated it to a
selected group of practitioners and experts of Operational Excellence, in industry as well as
academics; and the response was unbelievably encouraging. By now, the Alpha Version was
already quick read by over 25 people. After reading the Alpha Version, people said that it is
already ready for publishing. Some were already using the Alpha Version as handbook,
while a Professor had asked for multiple copies, so that he could ask his class on
"Operations Management" to read the book before the next semester begins.
I do not know… sometimes it happens with me that I do not follow the normal rules.
And it happened with the Book. I decided to enhance the impact and quality of the Book by
giving it a touch of co-creation. What does it mean?
Traditionally, a new Book is reviewed by 2-3 reviewers from the subject area. And,
the search for right reviewers and the ability of the few to provide an objective and rightful
feedback is often in too much uncertainty. I decided to have the Book pre-viewed and
commented by 'many many' practitioners… 10..20… may be 100, even though the subject
area is quite challenging.
My guess was that when it would go into the hands of target readers after so many
practitioners have commented on, it would enhance its quality and impact significantly.
Further, these co-creators would not only forward suggestions on its content but also on
various aspects including readability, suitability, presentation, cover design, language etc. I
might get a good editor as well within the team there.
And so, we launched the Hub of Operational Excellence, where not only the content
but also the process of creating the Book would be shared. By the way, I was not the first to
get into co-creating a book online; but yes, might be the one to do so for the specific area
and style of the book.
That we had begun the project, there would be several things that would be new, as
we move ahead. Contributions and suggestions of Hub Members would be crucial in making
it a worthwhile initiative.
I was sure that many of the Hub Members do nurture an ambition to speak-out
through their dream book, for they are all different with unique qualities and experience.
May be as we would go ahead with my book, they would get better ideas to do it for their
book.
Then I exhorted them to Speak-out at the Hub, what subject their own book would
be about. And if they were waiting for a moment to occur or already had got it.
Copyrights 2013 © Shridhar Lolla. All Rights Reserved.
This document was shared as a part of the preview process with the members of www.time2change.co.in on 02Jun2012. It is now revised
in retrospect on 28Feb2013 to let the readers of The Path know how the book was co-created. Distribution or reproduction of this
document in part or full in any form requires explicit reference to the title and the copyrights holder.