Happy to share a summary of a very interesting book I recently read. Gives great insights and learnings on how myriad organisations have successfully managed their strategy implementation. Am sure one can find as good examples in India as well! Would love to hear your views on this new initiative as well as any suggestions of books to summarise.

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Simply Brilliant – How Great Organizations Do Ordinary Things In
Extraordinary Ways!
Insights from
Simply
Brilliant,
the
bestselling
book by
William
Taylor

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“A unicorn among
business books”
“Transformative
messages for
business leaders”
“A clear and
instructive manual
for disruption”
Simply Brilliant is the most recent release by the management guru,
William Taylor

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In a refreshing take on innovation, the book narrates relevant and
practical insights from lesser-known organizations
Innovation is not just limited to Silicon Valley. There
are uncelebrated companies beyond Uber and Airbnb
as well which are scaling remarkable heights
Doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways can
transform even mundane businesses that clean
buildings, run parking lots or deliver rural health care
Breakthrough creativity and breakaway performance
can be achieved even without cutting-edge technology
as long as leaders can imagine the infinite possibilities

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The book excels at showcasing inspiring and researched examples of
how real companies are thriving in the real world to usher in a new era
The featured companies / cases celebrate the human
side of business; creativity and productivity should
never come at the expense of empathy and generosity
These organizations are not content doing things a
little better than competitors; they are punching above
their weight and delivering one-of-a-kind performance
Without being prescriptive, the book provides enough
fodder for enthusiastic leaders to break free from the
shackles of lethargy and competition

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These compelling narratives of companies reveal key takeaways or
learnings for others to emulate
Stop trying to be the
best; strive to be the only
Don’t let what you know
limit what you can imagine
It’s just as important to
be kind as to be clever
Allies matter more than
the power you exert

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Stop trying to be the
best; strive to be the only
These compelling narratives of companies reveal key takeaways or
learnings for others to emulate

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Metro Bank has redefined the norms for high street banks in UK and
proved itself an able competitor to the Big Five banking giants
Revenues of
£ 195.1
million and
48 branches
in 2016
The first high
street bank to
open in the
UK in over 100
years
Awarded
Britain’s
most trusted
financial
advisor in
2017
Aims to have
200 branches
by 2020
“In a bland field, Metro bank created a banking
experience called retailtainment – fun and
surprising gestures that attract customers”
Distinctive fun identity like child
and pet friendly environment
Instant account opening and free
coin counting
Open seven days a week for
extended hours
Categorization of SME customers
and dedicated resources
Range of products on offer but no
incentives for cross selling

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Pal’s, a small company with its fanatical commitment to serve great food
in a flash, offers lots of food for thought
30 seconds
from the first
time of
contact to
receiving the
order
Quick stop
restaurant
with 26 stores
in Tennessee
and a drive
through only
facility
Mistakes in
orders : Only
once in every
3,600 orders
Leadership to
spend 10% of
their time
daily teaching
specific skills
to employees
“Pal’s Triple 100 – 100 percent execution at 100
percent of the time, even when restaurants are
operating at 100 percent of capacity”
Limited yet offbeat menu to
deliver speed and accuracy
No suggested selling and
missionary mindset
Customer visit frequency – on an
average thrice a week
Key talent retention with only 7
GMs quitting in the last 33 years
Psychometric testing and
extensive training for employees

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Stop trying to be the
best; strive to be the only
Don’t let what you know
limit what you can imagine
It’s just as important to
be kind as to be clever
Allies matter more than
the power you exert
These compelling narratives of companies reveal key takeaways or
learnings for others to emulate

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1111 Lincoln stands out as an alternative to conventional wisdom and
expectations of what a parking garage should be
$65 mn.
structure
with high
ceilings, 360
degree views
and no
exterior
walls
A seven storey
parking garage
in Miami built
with a ‘double
vision’
Popular
venue for
charity
events, wine
tastings and
celebrity
gatherings
A high profile
brand today :
“Meet me at
eleven
eleven”
“The unimaginable marriage of high-end
architecture and car storage”
1,10,000 sq. ft. of office space,
40,000 sq. ft. of retail and several
apartments
Used for parking, boutiques,
fitness classes, weddings,
performances, art displays
Possible to program the building
to cater to customer needs
A drive through an actual bank at
the heart of the structure
Audacious act of imagination
rather than mere innovation

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Megabus has a slick internet-only reservation built around the first
yield-management software in the industry
Business unit
of the
Stagecoach
group
Low cost
point-to-point
bus service
provider in
the US, UK
and Canada
One million
passengers
every six
weeks
A result of
improvisation
and
disruptions to
the routine
“A new term, Megabus Effect has been coined to
denote the impact created on old-guard bus
companies and the travel system as a whole”
Brightly coloured double-decker
buses with oversized windows,
glass roof and premium seats
Free Wi-fi and electrical outlets at
every seat
Luxury options with food and
recliner sets to be available soon
Own downtown pickup and drop
off points
Dynamic fares starting at $1 and
increasing with time and capacity

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WD 40 offers a masterclass in business reinvention by CEO, Garry Ridge
Created a
sense of
strategic
purpose and
applied
clever
marketing
A
multipurpose
lubricant that
prevents
corrosion on
metal skin
Products
available in
176
countries
Market value
of $1.5 billion
in 2015; 65%
revenues from
outside the
United States
“Creators of positive lasting memories and
problem solvers in workshops, factories and
homes of the world”
Overhauled the culture and
redefined work of its leaders
Acquired new brands that added
to its arsenal
Multi-functional team to define
short term and long term goals
Put a premium on learning,
experimenting and improvising
Enriched the product portfolio to
broaden identity with customers

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Stop trying to be the
best; strive to be the only
Don’t let what you know
limit what you can imagine
It’s just as important to
be kind as to be clever
Allies matter more than
the power you exert
These compelling narratives of companies reveal key takeaways or
learnings for others to emulate

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Zappos & The Downtown Project aims to spark energy and vitality in
aspiring entrepreneurs without worrying over ROIs or trade secrets
Layout
designed to
encourage
collisions for
‘forced
serendipity’
Wanted to
surround the
new HQ with
artists and
entrepreneurs
(non-Zappos
employees)
$350 million
urban
development
project in Las
Vegas (2015)
Reinvention of
Las Vegas –
“the city as a
start-up”
“Aim to create the most community-focused
company by being integrated into the fabric
of the community”
Earmarked $200 mn. to purchase
land, $20 mn. to fund high-tech
start-ups and $50 mn. for arts
Co-working spaces, Tech Week,
Fashion Week
Subscription offer to spend one
week a month to serve as
mentors to local start-ups
Host to presentations from
visiting artists, business leaders,
series of speeches and seminars
Return on Luck (ROL) and Return
on Connectedness (ROC)

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Fastenal’s success is linked to its spirit of embracing radical
decentralization and autonomy
Manufacture
anything
from
fasteners to
speciality
parts
One of the
largest
distributors of
industrial
supplies in the
US
11 factories
and 2,700
stores
located
around the
globe
60,000
automated
Fastenal
stores at
factories and
warehouses
“We make the unavailable part available”
Distribution powerhouse whose
presence extends into virtually
every nook and corner
Fastenal stores : hi-tech vending
machines for cutting tools, safety
gear and other industrial supplies
Wide product range offered
through multiple channels at
maximum number of locations
Sense of ambition, self-driven
entrepreneurship and humility
Fastenal school of business :
training on business skills, sales
techniques and service attitude

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The John Lewis Partnership might be the only organization in the world
that is owned 100% in trust by its employees and no public shareholders
Known for
competitive
pricing,
innovation
and digital
presence
£11 billion
gross sales,
close to
94,000
employees in
2016
Partnership
model :
distribution
of power
and profits
among
employees
A democratic
system of
management
and
governance
“We treat democracy as a central part of our
business”
Each employee is treated as a
partner in letter and spirit with
bonuses and pension plan
Elections to select store
representatives and Democracy
Coaches to drive engagement
Partners’ Counsellor to ensure
that the company stays true to its
principles
Partnership Council held every 3
years to debate and vote on
strategic issues
Chairman is held accountable
through voting twice a year on
whether he should retain office

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Stop trying to be the
best; strive to be the only
Don’t let what you know
limit what you can imagine
It’s just as important to
be kind as to be clever
Allies matter more than
the power you exert
These compelling narratives of companies reveal key takeaways or
learnings for others to emulate

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Pret A Manger expects employees to create a fun environment and treat
customers as if they are guests in their own home
Customers
leave the
store in as
less as 60
seconds
444 locations
and sales of
£776.2 million
as of 2016
Genuine
human
connection
for repeat
customers
Condemned
for its ‘Pret
Behaviour’
philosophy on
multiple
occasions
“We only employ people that are friendly,
lively and good humoured by nature”
Unapologetic commitment to
creating a bright, cheerful and
always smiling workforce
Work trial runs on the shop floor
before hiring employees
Employees vote on whether to
extend a full-time job offer
Frontline managers encouraged
to distribute free drinks and food
Rigorous training program to
instill desired ‘Pret Behaviours’

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USAA has built an iconic brand on their foundation of empathy and
generosity
Revenues of
$20 billion,
profits of
$2.7 billion
and 28,000
employees
Leading credit
card issuer,
mortgage
banker, home
and auto
insurance
Exclusively
caters to
members of
the US
military and
families
Rated among
the top 3 in
the
‘Forgiveness
Ratings’ in
2015
“There is nobody on this earth who understands
their customer better than USAA ”
No physical branches, engaging
customers over the telephone
and internet
Well known for its accessibility,
responsiveness and on-the-spot
problem solving skills
Technical training and soft skills
training on virtual interactions
Simulated overseas deployment
Basic army training, consuming
ready to eat meals, reading
letters from soldiers to families

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Stephen Cannon, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA has deeply
ingrained commitment to delighting customers within all employees
No robotic,
paint-by-
numbers
behaviour
The best or
nothing :
applied to the
machines but
not customer
experience
Move
towards
customer
centricity
Impromptu
acts of
kindness and
connection
with
customers
“Every encounter with the brand must be as
extraordinary as the machine itself”
Grassroots movement – Driven to
Delight
Making the right call on the spot
and going out of the way because
you care to do something special
Encouraging and celebrating
instances of customer delight
A surprise birthday celebration
for a customer who had come in
to pick up his car
Jacking up a new car and
removing one of its tyres to help
a lady who got a flat tyre

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So what’s
your story
going to
be?
We would love to
hear from you

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Thank You