The Click Moment: Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World [Hardcover]

Frans Johansson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 30, 2012

On the one hand we aren’t surprised by the uncertainty of everyday life, but on the other we believe that success can be analyzed and planned for. It is a revealing paradox. The impli­cations are explosive and they obliterate every common-sense notion we have about strategy and planning.

 

 

The Click Moment is about two very simple but highly provocative ideas. The first is that success is random—far more random than we would like to believe. The second is that there are a number of specific actions that we, as individuals and organizations, can take to cap­ture this randomness and focus it in our favor.

 

According to Johansson, strategy, plan­ning, and careful analysis can no longer guarantee strong performance; today’s busi­ness environments are far too random and complicated. But when you dig deep into the actions of successful people and orga­nizations, you’ll find one common theme. A turning point occurs—a major client signs on, a new competitor redefines the market, an unlikely idea surfaces—and they take advan­tage of that serendipity to change their fate. Consider how . . .

• Diane von Furstenberg saw Julie Nixon Eisenhower on TV wearing a matching skirt and top, and the timeless, elegant wrap-dress was born.
• Microsoft Windows was on the brink of being shut down until two individuals met unexpectedly at a party and altered the fate of the world’s dominant computer operat­ing system.
• Starbucks sold high-end brewing equip­ment and coffee by the pound until Howard Schultz experienced his first latte in a café in Milan.
• Nike was stumped on how to invent a spike­less trainer when a legendary running coach poured latex on a waffle iron.

Each of these individuals experienced a “click moment”—a rare point of opportunity that was completely unexpected. But they capitalized on their luck in ways that paid off significantly and altered their organizations’ strategies and the course of their lives.

 

Johansson uses stories of successful people and companies throughout history to illustrate the specific actions we can take to create more click moments, place lots of high-potential bets, open ourselves up to chance encounters, and harness the complex forces of success that follow.

 

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Consider this book the millennial response to carpe diem, along with pretty explicit instructions on taking advantage of Lady Luck. Johansson actually borrows some techniques and tools from the creative world, especially following one’s curiosity to spotting momentum and intensity. He sets the stage for reader endorsements of his principles through tales of random successes, for instance Obama’s rapid rise after his keynote at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and Stephenie Meyer’s evolution of a dream into the Twilight saga. Their properties are simple to describe: they occur when two separate concepts, ideas, or people meet; they’re impossible to predict; and they elicit an emotional response, like awe or excitement. Creating them? Ah, that’s the focus of this book; a far more resonant subtitle might be How to Harness Purposeful Bets. It’s so not in the luck of the draw, Johansson asserts; it’s maximizing the world around you. A bit of science, a lot of psychology, a touch of wannabe Malcolm Gladwell, and the courage to click. Designed to become a best-seller. --Barbara Jacobs

Review

“In a world where random events increasingly rule our destinies, forget logic. Invite chance, then maximize it. With highly engaging and enter­taining style, Frans Johansson shows us how.”

—Peter Sims, author of Little Bets

 

“Johansson wonderfully captures the strategy of any startup . . . maxi­mizing click moments and, through them, ideas that change the world forever.”

—Eric Klinker, CEO of BitTorrent

 

“Frans Johansson is both a master storyteller and one of the most inno­vative thinkers I know. The Click Moment begins as a shocker, showing that we can’t really predict much in a world that is becoming increasingly complex. Then, after shattering our illusions of control, Johansson gives us powerful tools for placing good bets in business, in everyday life, and even in love.”

—Teresa Amabile, Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, and coauthor of The Progress Principle

 

“With his characteristic clarity, insight, and style, Frans Johansson presents an absorbing account of how randomness, serendipity, and “luck” can be used to enhance success in business and in your own life. A fascinating plunge into the rip tides and cross currents of chance and opportunity that so often affect the course of human achievement.”

—Sir Ken Robinson, New York Times bestselling author of The Element

 

“There are very few moments that change the direction of our lives, orga­nizations, and even entire nations. Frans Johansson has created another amazingly practical book that shows us, in a natural, fast-paced, and enjoyable way, how to not only create more of these moments but also how to harness them.”

—Dr. Jamil Mahuad, former mayor of Quito and president of Ecuador, cofounder of the Harvard International Negotiation Program

 

“We live in a world where we always want to stay connected and in control, and The Click Moment reveals how this mind-set is stifling innovation. Frans Johansson shows the reader not only how to capture inspiration but to change the world.”

—Marcus Samuelsson, chef; owner of Red Rooster; author of Yes, Chef; and cofounder of FoodRepublic.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover (August 30, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781591844938
• ISBN-13: 978-1591844938
• ASIN: 1591844932
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Gift for Unemployed Smart People August 31, 2012

By Robert David STEELE Vivas HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

I am a 60-year old unemployed person with no pensions, and received this book as a gift. It came to me as I am in the middle of writing what I hope will be a seminal work on the future of public governance, and to my enormous surprise, not only has the book been a "pick me up" of a read for me as the unemployed guy, it has also been relevant to my new book.

The author's core message is: the world is random, embrace that, seek out as much random as you can handle, be alert for "aha" moments, and act instantly to take advantage when such moments occur.

At the very end of the book the author says that one should use randomness to one's statistical advantage, which is to say, embrace the random, chase the random, respect the random, and your chances of "scoring" in some way will be better.

I am loading an image above that includes the word diversity, in part to highlight why I connected immediately to the author's story of how innovation is inspired by diversity, what some CEO's who have a hard time understanding Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs can instantly get: a side door for insights that do not occur to white, well-fed, preening males.

The author discusses very ably how "old world" is about rules and norms, this is a world where 10,000 hours of practice at anything will indeed make you a world champion, because the parameters are fixed and the rules don't change.... In today's world, on the other hand, where a woman's slap can trigger a revolution in Tunesia and the downfall of Libya's dictator, not only are the "expedrts" wrong most of the time, but open platforms change everything--there are no binding rules (to which I would add, governments are so screwed up and ineffective that three fifths or more of the global economy now routes around government).

Having just spent a year focused on "open everything" the author's discussion of how open platforms change everything and are a huge range of opportunity for all (no barriers to entry) resonates with me, and I am reminded of David Weinberger's book, Everything Is Miscellaneous: The Power of the New Digital Disorder as well as Marc Prensky's book, Don't Bother Me Mom--I'm Learning!. Our structured world is in disarray, and this is a good thing! As much as governments, corporations, and religions may resist the notion, the fixed patterns of the past are false patterns, imposed patterns, unsustainable patterns--get over it, and open up to the wealth that is random.

As an avowed strategist, I respect the author's insight on page 83 where he stresses that in today's world a strategy is NOT about pre-planning, but rather about getting going. It is the fire starter, not to be confused with the kindling or the fire itself.

About this point I have a note that the author is clearly well-read, but more importantly, he does a fine job of blending in references to a wide range of books that support his arguments while respecting the work of others.

For me this is not as much a counter-intuitive books as it might be for others, but I certainly recommend it to one and all.

Four ways to optimize and embrace the random:

01 Take your eyes OFF the ball.

02 Use inter-sectional thinking (BETWEEN cultures, BETWEEN disciplines, BETWEEN personalities).

03 Follow your curiosity (it is one of the things that makes you you--makes you unique)

04 Reject the predictable path (for those in my shoes, I think this means your job is never coming back, prepare for a 180 degree turn)

The section on purposeful bets is the one that is no doubt touted to the start-up circles, but it applies to any individual that wants to become a renaissance person rather than a drone:

01 Place many bets

02 MINIMIZE bet size -- since I have no money I think in terms of time, this tells me to explore and partake of many many more possible paths, in small measured ways, rather than throwing myself into a full court press to find work in one particular industry that is actually just a spin off of my old industry (spying and multi-disciplinary analytics).

03 Take the smallest executable step (i.e. smallest amount of time, money, involved parties)

04 Calculate affordable loss rather than return on investment. I like this a lot -- the point is to increase opportunities, any one of which could be a huge return.

05 Use passion as fuel (for creativity)

The author goes on to discuss how complexity creates unintended consequences, cascade effects, and self-reinforcing loops. Also in this section are two gross errors that would normally cost the author a star, but I am giving him a bye: he does not understand the international violations that led to the theft of Libyan gold, water, and oil by the West; and he adopts the standard butterfly effect story (the butterfly analogy actually refers to the plotter design when the cascade effect is plotted out). Neither the NYT nor fact checkers are what they used to be.

The book concludes with five strategies that are as applicable to individuals thinking about their next passage in life, as they are to start-ups, recent college graduates (great gift idea--along with the address of the nearest military recruiter, tell them to demand a contract in the intelligence occupational field).

01 Create large hooks -- buy the book to understand this, it's worth it.

02 Examine surprises carefully.

03 Look for an opening everywhere.

04 Spot momentum and ride it (I am reminded of Harrison Owen's superb Wave Rider: Leadership for High Performance in a Self-Organizing World)

05 Double down when you find any opening -- do NOT ignore ANY opening.

I like this book, and am acutely conscious that the author is avoiding all the negatives that have brought to to chaos today, my last few allowed links will capture both the pathos of the present and the prospects for the future. As I look over my shelf of books waiting to be delivered as donations to the Oakton Library, all non-fiction, I have to give the author credit: among all of them, this is the one that might actually help me find my next opportunity....and that, today, is precious.

See Also:

Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency
Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History
The Global Class War: How America's Bipartisan Elite Lost Our Future - and What It Will Take to Win It Back

Empowering Public Wisdom: A Practical Vision of Citizen-Led Politics (Manifesto Series)
Sacred Economics: Money, Gift, and Society in the Age of Transition
Escaping the Matrix: How We the People can change the world
Reflexive Practice: Professional Thinking for a Turbulent World

Best wishes to all,
Robert Steele
THE OPEN SOURCE EVERYTHING MANIFESTO: Transparency, Truth & Trust Read more ›

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Click Moment August 31, 2012

By @fiercestrategy

Format:Hardcover

There are very few books I'll recommend let alone make required reading for my teams, clients, and business associates. The Click Moment is one book you must read. Provocative and engaging, Frans takes the principles, ideas, and realities of The Medici Effect and amps up the message. Luck, serendipity, and happen-stance are real, visceral, and important criteria for success...in everything. All the business plans, planning, and hyped-up 'best practices' don't mean anything when you miss out on the karma that comes from being front-and-center with the forces of nature that bend our way to enable greatness. Read this book over and over, instill its message, but most importantly, be aware of what you can do to create luck, serendipity and success that isn't taught in today's management development programs. Outstanding reading!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Interesting and Insightful September 10, 2012

By John Chancellor TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The Click Moment presents a totally new way of thinking about success and how to achieve it. I have heard many pundits say "success leaves footprints - all you need to do is to watch what successful people have done and follow their steps." There is also the theory that mastery of any field requires 10,000 hours of deliberate practice.

Frans Johansson turns both these theories on their head - first he says that success is not rational or predictable- that there is not a formula for success. One story to illustrate this point involves the mystery writer Stephen King. At one time Mr. King wrote a few novels under a pen name - same genre, same writing style - he followed the same steps but the novels were flops. When re-published under his own name, the novels were a success.

As far as the 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to master a field, Mr. Johansson says that only applies to a very limited field. This theory holds true when you are dealing with an activity where the rules of mastery are slow to change. Tennis, golf, violin, are some activities where mastery of the activity can in fact be accomplished with intense practice. But writing novels, creating art, music, consumer products - all fields where the rules of the game change constantly and quite unpredictably do not come under the 10,000 hour concept.

The book is presented in two parts. The first part deals with establishing that success in most fields is totally random and unpredictable. Our minds are hard wired to try to make sense of the world. We desperately want to find a rational reason why things happen. We engage in elaborate and detailed business plans to cover every detail and leave nothing to chance. But according to Mr.... Johansson, instead of providing the success we seek, this behavior will actually stifle success. We need to understand and embrace the fact that success is random - that it involves luck - being at the right place at the right time. These random moments are what he describes as click moments - rare insights that if acted upon will lead to success.

Part two of the book deals with seizing the opportunity when we encounter a click moment. In Part two he deals with how to create more click moments. We need to be more aware of what is going on around us. We also need to get out of our routine activities and expose ourselves to new and different experiences.

Once you have identified a click moment, you need to understand the steps to capitalize on the bets. You do this by placing purposeful bets - this is not betting the farm on a new, risky project. This is a more controlled bet. Understanding how much you can afford to bet and what you expect to achieve from the bet.

He also discusses complex forces. The human world is very complex. Humans are not rational. We behave emotionally and there are many different forces influencing our behavior. If you are going to achieve success, you need to understand these complex forces and how to harness them. The book gives you some step by step guidance for doing just that.

Mr. Johansson is an extremely talented writer. I suspect he could take a mundane subject and make it highly interesting. But he has taken a subject which has captured man's imagination from the beginning of time and presented it in a highly interesting and informative manner. He tells amazing, little known stories to illustrate his point. He writes a very compelling book.

You will find the book a breeze to read and I believe you will come away from this book with some new insightful ways to look at how to achieve success.

One of the best books I have read in quite some time.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Success is often random... something just "clicks"... October 13, 2012

By Thomas Duff HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Business books that purport to offer up the key to success are a source of frustration for me. Take a company like Apple or a leader like Jobs, analyze it/them, and come up with a five step plan to replicate their outcomes in your situation... easy to follow and results guaranteed!

Not so much... The problem I have with those books is that, while the information may be sound, they ignore the multitudes of unknown failures... companies, ideas, and decisions that *didn't* work out. The outcome isn't necessarily directly related to the steps taken or the method follows. Sometimes success is random, based on a moment in time where something just clicks. Frans Johansson does a good job in making that point in his book The Click Moment: Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World. There's a lot to be said for remembering that not every outcome is rational or logical.

Contents:
Part 1 - An Unpredictable World: The Moldavian Theory of Success; Serena's Secret; The Nokia Mystery; The Twilight of Logic; The Conspiracy of Randomness
Part 2 - Seizing Opportunity: The Three Random Moves of Diane von Furstenberg; Click Moments; How to Create Click Moments; Purposeful Bets; How to Place Purposeful Bets; Complex Forces; How to Harness Complex Forces
Epilogue; Acknowledgments; Notes; Index

I got the most from the first part of the book. Johansson does a great job (in my opinion) in explaining why success in business doesn't work the same way as the process explained in Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers book. 10000 hours of practice works when you're dealing with a skill where the rules are set, finite, and don't change much. Personally, I also think it only works in individual pursuits. In business, interactions are complex and change frequently.... Click moments occur when unrelated or chance moments happen and someone puts together two concepts that didn't occur to anyone else. Howard Schultz changed the direction of Starbucks when he visited Milan and saw the role that coffee houses played there. Nike took off when a running coach poured latex on a waffle iron to make a spikeless tread for running shoes. In a less known example (at least to me), Microsoft was betting on OS/2 until two programmers met at an MS party and made fixes to an "unfixable" version of Windows, turning it from a dying software project that was fatally broken to the operating system that defined desktop computing. These click moments don't follow a five step plan or guarantee on-going success. They happen, and you have to be ready to act.

Part 2 of the book explains how to structure your business and cultivate a mindset that allows for more click moments to occur. There are ways you can allow for more interactions and encounters that might cause click moments. Johansson calls them "purposeful bets." I agree with that general concept, but there still seems to be a tenancy to "prove" these bets work by pointing out examples where they did. I'm certain there are people who have tried to make these moments happen, yet no breakthrough events occur. It still comes down to randomness. You can increase your chances but you can not ensure success.

Even though I don't think it's necessarily a "perfect" theory, I think The Click Moment comes much closer to explaining "business success" than many other books and frameworks. I'd recommend it as required reading to get a more accurate view as to how life and business really works.

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