Customer Reviews

Wide-Angle Vision: Beat Your Competition by Focusing on Fringe Competitors, Lost Customers, and Rogue Employees

5 star:		(2)
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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Read this book jointly with Joel Barkers' Future Edge. It will be an excellent companion.

Wayne Burkan has been a collaborator of Joel Barker. In this book, filled with excellent real-world business examples, the author introduces some more interesting concepts to the paradigm phenomenon. The author uses the term EDGE to illustrate his innovative ideas.

Most business books postulating the concept of strategic advantage sometimes get too conceptual or even too vague in the approach. This is one book that shows you the tactical and yet practical approaches to gaining a strategic advantage in your business.

One of the best learning tools I got out of this book is the power of observation through the application of peripheral vision. The author calls it "splatter vision" or "wide angle vision" which he uses as the book's main title. I understand from my American friends that this is an age-old technique practised by native North American Indians. Henceforth, it is now practised by nature observers, bird watchers and animal trackers. In the book, the author relates an analogy of how Secret Service agents apply "splatter vision" in the field to visually screen out, read the signals quickly - & anticipate - any potential threats against the President.

In the business world, I fully agree "splatter vision" is a useful & powerful anticipation tool, with which you can apply to constantly scan the entire business landscape in sweeping motions in order to avoid missing "unexpected gaps" which could be potential threats &/or possible opportunities.

In reality, you are:
- unfocusing your eyes;
- maximising your peripheral vision;
- sustaining a soft focus;
- increasing your view of the landscape with an almost 180 degree-field-of-vision;
in order to avoid becoming so focused that you expect your challenge to come from a specific direction!

Another book that can be read in conjunction with these two books, is 'The Whack-A-Mole Theory; Creating Breakthrough and Transformation in Organizations' by Lindsay E. Collier. You will certainly note a common theme throughout these three books.

Burkan has done a nice job in reminding us about the value of our most irritating customer and our peskiest employee. Pay attention to them! They point us to new markets and new opportunities to create value for our stakeholders

in my opinion, it is good that the book focus on some ignored customers, employees and other business partners. since retention of customer is important. some concept like savior on the edge is also interesting .

it is ok and above average.