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Book Review: if you want to make
God really laugh, show him your
business plan
by Barry J. Gibbons

We're from the Dilbert generation -- we take our business with more than a grain of salt. We don't revere the boss simply because he (or she) is the boss. We love humor in all that we do. And we try desperately to not take ourselves too seriously, and to apply that humor to ourselves.

Reviewers and critics of Barry Gibbons often talk about his irreverent humor. As far as we're concerned, though, he's dead on! Even his title for his book shows it: "if you want to make God to really laugh, show him your business plan". Here is a book that talks about things in a way that we've always thought they should be run.

Mr. Gibbons presents his ideas in 101 Universal Laws of Business, but in essence these just state what most of us mere mortals (i.e., without MBA) would call "common sense". For instance, he starts off with what he calls "Tests Of Rightness" (no, not righteousness!). Already, we thought we could start making our own rules. Look, if it doesn't feel right, then it probably is a mistake, right? These are not namby-pamby "feel good" rules, but basic common sense. For example: "Universal Law #4: If you wouldn't spend your own money on a business project, don't spend someone else's." Good rule, but how many times have you seen it broken? I know I've seen it done hundreds of times.

We especially liked the first and last rules: "Universal Law #1: When you have completed, bound, and presented your business plan to the appropriate audience, it contains the one and only scenario guaranteed not to happen." This is so true! Its not that the work is wasted, but that, once done, people follow the plan as though it were written in concrete. The leader, though, as Gibbons puts it, "sticks the document in a cupboard with all the others, digests the fact that at least there is clear knowledge of what won't happen, and prepares to get to the end of the first street, peer round the corner, and deal with what actually comes up."

The last rule is perhaps the most important, "Universal Law #101: Your God gave you two eyes, two ears, and one mouth. That's four organs to receive information and one to give it out. That's a good ratio for a challenge culture." How much listening do you do, to your customers, your employees, your vendors? They have good information for you, but you need to prompt them to talk and then shut up.

This was a fast read for us, but it ranks up there with some of our other favorite books. Buy this book, read it, live it. You won't be sorry.

We give this a $$$$$ rating -- don't wait for the paperback version, go buy it now!

-- Stu Bell and A. Kris Bell

ABC's rating system: $ - A few useful items; $$ - Some good content; $$$ - Well balanced and worthwhile; $$$$ - Recommend highly; $$$$$ - Excellent! Buy it now

Buy it today!