Announcing

At long last, after two years in the making, with seven re-writes, The Open Executive is finished.

It is available now on Amazon in Kindle or paperback.

The paperback is on Amazon Extended Distribution so it may start to show up from other suppliers such as Barnes and Noble.

…aaaand, out now on audiobook, on Amazon and Audible!

It is machine read, with an Aussie accent.  You can hear a real sample of the book here)

Note: the audiobook is not available on any Amazon or Audible marketplace except the USA. I think this is a restriction of the new AI-generated books but I can’t get definitive answers.

The audiobook is not on Spotify at all, for reasons I can’t determine.

If you have any insights or hints, I welcome them.

The purpose of this book The Open Executive  is to provide a summary for executives of how Teal Unicorn have such great success in advancing organisations, with a specific focus on what is needed from you. So it serves those executives wondering what it is all about, and those wondering if they should work with us, or preparing to do so. It is about your personal journey to be a better leader, in order to unlock change in your organisation.

“…the level of consciousness of an organization cannot exceed the level of consciousness of its leader.” – Frederic Laloux

The book is about Open Leadership, once we define the word “leader”. The authors think leadership is a behaviour that anybody can exhibit, not a role. But the world is determined to call you, executives, the “leadership” of the organisation, so we surrender – we use the term here in its popular meaning of the “apex executive”, the boss.
Open Leadership is a dynamic, integrative, and adaptive approach to executive leadership that recognises and leverages the strengths of multiple Open philosophies. It’s about leading with vision, empathy, flexibility, inclusion, and a good understanding of today’s complex environment.

Special offer for apex executives

If your LinkedIn profile confirms that you are the apex executive – the top boss – of an organisation with multiple employees. (Yes an autonomous division – where you operate as an independent business unit with a free hand –  counts as an organisation. But only if you call the shots – you’re top dog in the hierarchy).

If that’s you, please contact us and we will, without charge,

  1. send you a copy of the book
  2. provide multiple online discussions of the content, and its relevance for your situation and needs
  3. not try to sell you anything – we aren’t fishing for work

Online course to support you reading the book

Get the most out of the book with this online supporting course

that leads you through reading and understanding the book, with supplementary lessons and resources. From our “Galloping Unicorn book club”

About the book

Here is a 24 minute “radio show” about the book, created by Google’s Gemini AI in their NotebookLM tool. Yes, the voices and the content are both AI.

 or this 15 minute one that is more analytical of the content


The figure on the cover is a purple (as in leadership) version of the blue (beyond Teal) figure on the cover of our book Open Management


Respecting your precious time, this book is short. This requires assuming you are familiar with many of the concepts we use. If not, we provide references for you to investigate further. Google and ChatGPT are your friends. You might also consider reading our companion book Open Management.

The Open Executive is all about your personal development journey. There will be a sequel, provisionally titled Leading the Open Enterprise. The sequel will be about your personal actions to take the organisation towards Open.

Blurb

The winds of change blow strongly in the workplace. The continuous advances in society and technology, and the countervailing disruptions from politics and climate, not only pose challenges, but also bring countless opportunities for those who are willing to embrace them. It is in this context that Rob England and Dr. Cherry Vu have opened up a whole new approach to help organisations become agile and resilient with Open Management mindsets and methods. Not only that, they also help businesses in how to get from here to there, and create outstanding results in terms of organisational culture as well as business efficiency. This book helps you to understand the nature and value of modern thinking as well as to apply the radical management methods that Teal Unicorn is spreading, globally and especially in Vietnamese businesses.

As you turn the pages of this insightful book, you’ll embark on a journey to discover how two world-leading experts in Open Management thinking Cherry and Rob have made the principles of Open more than just theoretical ideals, but also practical tools that have been honed through real-world application. With an empathetic perspective and sharp analytical thinking, Rob and Cherry have created a series of stories that bring these concepts to life, demonstrating their power in building a work culture that prioritises values, trust, and transparency.

Here is the power of the Open Management philosophy – a holistic view that affirms when leaders are open, sharing, participatory, and determined to nurture a good working environment where creativity and innovation can flourish. The focus of Open Management is on breaking down organisational barriers and hierarchical systems that hinder growth and participation; instead, build a working environment where all opinions are heard and respected.

Becoming an agile organisation is no longer a choice but a must for businesses to survive and thrive in today’s volatile and rapidly changing market. It’s a spirit that fosters flexibility, responsiveness, and the awareness that learning and adaptation is an ongoing process necessary for sustainable success. 

The stories in this book will help you visualise a diverse picture of many industry sectors and company sizes, each providing different aspects to clearly see the principles of Open management, from how family businesses adapt to the digital age, to how multinational corporations reshape their operational strategies. The stories are diverse, but the basic message is the same: a culture built on openness and flexibility is the foundation of happiness and excellent results for organisations.

With this book, Rob and Cherry don’t just talk about what needs to be done, they also help you with how to do it. Through authentic and insightful stories, this book is both an inspiration and a guide map for leaders, managers, and all who believe in the transformative power of a positive work culture based on Truth (Science), Goodness (Ethics), and Beauty (Aesthetics).

As you read the book, prepare for the union of philosophy and practice, between strategy and heart. These things will shape how you think about success and leadership in this increasingly challenging world. Hopefully, after reading this book, you will accept the spirit of honouring kindness, resilience, learning from failures, and above all, the ability to respond quickly to change to continue to survive and develop. 

Notes and errata

Glossary addendum: note that we use the word “Alpha” to refer to the conventional 20th century alpha-male style of management. Not to be confused with the current usage of the word to refer to the latest generation of workers.