Sex, Leadership and Rock’n’Roll – Leadership Lessons from the Academy of Rock
At last, a book that cuts through the jargon of leadership and personal development. It offers a real world source of inspiration and provocation in areas such as: creativity, innovation, relationships, motivation, leadership, high performance, learning and reinvention. The unique approach springs from the mix of leading edge concepts with the wisdom of the street in the form of rock music. This is served up in a quirky, challenging but intelligent way.
Peter Cook has skilfully synthesised these diverse viewpoints due to his background, both as a business academic, MBA graduate and tutor, strategy consultant and thought leader and also as a musician, writing and performing music, in rock bands.
The book examines business using the analogy of ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll’ rather than the language of prophets, consultants and gurus. In this context, the letters MBA stand for Management By Attitude.
“None would doubt that we live in a Rock’n’Roll Age – so what makes more sense than a brilliant, original, rockin’ Rock’n’Roll model of business management and leadership? Sex, Leadership and Rock’n’Roll is a marvellous book, which closes the door on the tidy, hierarchical, know-your-place ‘Orchestral Age’ and ushers in a new, creative era of challenge and change. Hooray!”
Tom Peters,
Author of 'Thriving on Chaos' and 'In Search of Excellence'.
Leading business thinker and speaker.
“An intriguing approach to delivery of leadership concepts and very different from traditional MBA style teaching. Interesting for generation x’ers to consider as well as baby boomers.”
Declan Doogan, R&D Director, Pfizer
“This book rocks harder than early period Sabbath. I gulped it down quicker than Ozzy Osbourne used to down a bottle of bourbon.”
Phil Beadle, The Guardian
Best Practice Creativity
Creativity starts with a question, an itch to be scratched, some sand in your joints etc. This book started with twenty questions. I would like to share some of these with you:
- How does creativity link with innovation?
- Where are the opportunities in my company for increased performance and how can more creative approaches help?
- Can creativity be contrived or does one have to wait for it to pounce?
- Who are the creative companies and what are they really doing?
- How does culture, leadership style and values support or limit creativity and innovation?
- What is the role of organization structure and systems in supporting creativity and innovation? Is structure a ‘red herring?’
- How can I get people in my company to let go of the habits of a lifetime?
- What techniques and processes can help develop ideas such that they become successful innovations?
- If I could have 202 ideas about making my company more creative, what would they be?
What you say about ‘Best Practice Creativity’
From 'The Independent' Newspaper
I ENJOYED this practical guide to creativity. I also enjoyed the author’s sense of humour, light touch, use of rock ‘n’ roll metaphors and the concept of mixing the disciplines of business, art and music to enhance creativity. This book is a stylish, valuable guide to creativity and a useful reference tool for anyone working inside organisations and trying to make new things happen.
Sean D’Arcy, Shell Petroleum Development Company
From the Amazon website:
I have read your book cover to cover. It is only the third management book I have ever done that to. You are in good company as the other two are 'Witchdoctors' (Wooldridge and someone) and 'Circle of Innovation' (Tom Peters).
Ian Thornton, Micrologic UK
