Change and innovation consultant Neil Smith presents eight barriers to change and twelve principles of transformation that can break down these barriers. Narrator Dave Courvoisier begins reading at a pace that is much too fast and comes across as stilted and awkward, though he does slow down as the book progresses. The stories, most from Smith's own experiences, and the interspersed quotations from personality expert Dr. Richard Levak add color to Smith's thesis but can be difficult to distinguish from the main text as Courvoisier does not always provide adequate pauses. Once Courvoisier finds a rhythm, however, his expressive voice is a good match for Smith's direct and sometimes humorous style.
Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2012
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781611749960
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The readers can't compensate for the unbearably pompous prose style of this extended parable about corporate politics and strategy.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An engaging experience.
This audiobook deals with everything from the historic investments that led to world-dominating companies, such as the Chinese technology company Tencent, to predicting the products and services of the future. An audiobook of such complexity requires a narrator who can handle the task, and David Thorpe manages it admirably. Thorpe uses his masterly voice, which sits somewhere between that of a BBC World Service presenter and an easy, relaxed Home Counties accent, to guide listeners through a sea of numbers, acronyms, and terms such as YP, RPS, and market cap. Rather than simply reading, Thorpe presents the work with excitement and enthusiasm, and this enjoyment transfers to the listener.
An engaging experience.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668103425
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
