The Chaos Imperative

How Chance and Disruption Increase Innovation, Effectiveness, and Success

By: Ori Brafman, Judah Pollack

Narrated by: Drew Birdseye

People and organizations tend to approach chaos as if it were an unruly beast - something that needs to be reined in, or avoided at all costs. But what if there's a benefit to chaos? What if it's actually crucial for inspiring industry innovation?

In The Chaos Imperative organizational thinker and best-selling author Ori Brafman and management consultant Judah Pollack dramatically demonstrate how even the best and most efficient organizations - from Fortune 500 companies to today's US Army - can become more innovative by allowing a little unstructured space and "contained chaos" into their planning and decision-making.

Through their consulting work, they realized that while structure and hierarchy are essential both in large corporations and small groups, too much of either can stifle creativity.

Weaving together stories and case studies with insights from areas as far-reaching as neuroscience, medieval history, and video gaming, Brafman and Pollack reveal how creating pockets of chaos within organizations can inspire the creative leaps that lead to new growth.

©2013 Shechinah, Inc. Recorded by arrangement with Crown Business, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. (P)2013 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"This useful and practical book will be welcomed by managers looking for new ways to innovate." ( Publishers Weekly)

a must read!!

this is a read for all new & old leaders - it tells a story for all sectors and explains how free time is needed for innovation

Well researched, not necessarily surprising

This book is excellent and builds on a large number of other books that imply a method of letting go of your organization in order to gain unique and creative success. At the same time, it doesn't offer any truly surprising insight. I'd still recommend it. At 4.5 hours in length (increased by 3X narrator speed becomes far shorter) you can knock it out in an afternoon of yard work.