Listen free for 30 days
-
Loonshots
- How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries
- Narrated by: William Dufris, Safi Bahcall - prologue and introduction
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Loonshots
Buy Now for $31.97
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Buy it with
-
Thinking in Bets
- Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts
- Written by: Annie Duke
- Narrated by: Annie Duke
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 245
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 201
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 201
In Super Bowl XLIX, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made one of the most controversial calls in football history: With 26 seconds remaining, and trailing by four at the Patriots' one-yard line, he called for a pass instead of a handing off to his star running back. The pass was intercepted, and the Seahawks lost. Critics called it the dumbest play in history. But was the call really that bad? Or did Carroll actually make a great move that was ruined by bad luck? Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good book
- By Anonymous User on 2020-06-15
Written by: Annie Duke
-
The Outsiders
- Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success
- Written by: William N. Thorndike
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 104
In The Outsiders, you'll learn the traits and methods striking for their consistency and relentless rationality that helped these unique leaders achieve such exceptional performance. Humble, unassuming, and often frugal, these "outsiders" shunned Wall Street and the press, and shied away from the hottest new management trends. Instead, they shared specific traits that put them and the companies they led on winning trajectories: a laser-sharp focus on per share value as opposed to earnings or sales growth; an exceptional talent for allocating capital and human resources; and the belief that cash flow, not reported earnings, determines a company's long-term value.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Extra Ordinary
- By Levi on 2022-06-21
Written by: William N. Thorndike
-
Build
- An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making
- Written by: Tony Fadell
- Narrated by: Tony Fadell, Roger Wayne
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 76
Tony Fadell led the teams that created the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat and learned enough in 30+ years in Silicon Valley about leadership, design, startups, Apple, Google, decision-making, mentorship, devastating failure, and unbelievable success to fill an encyclopedia. So that’s what this book is. An advice encyclopedia. A mentor in a box. Build is full of personal stories, practical advice and fascinating insights into some of the most impactful products and people of the 20th century.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book
- By Anonymous User on 2023-01-19
Written by: Tony Fadell
-
The Innovator's Dilemma
- Meeting the Challenge of Disruptive Change
- Written by: Clayton M. Christensen
- Narrated by: Deaver Brown
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 37
This audiobook was created based on Clayton Christensen's landmark book The Innovator's Dilemma. This was Mr. Christensen's synopsis of his book for the Harvard Business Review. The audio tracks listed here cover the key elements of Mr. Christensen's book. This audiobook emphasizes the Idea in Brief "Does my organization have the right resources, processes, values, and team to innovate?" Then it covers the right structure for your specific type of innovation.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not the book!
- By rdt on 2019-06-05
Written by: Clayton M. Christensen
-
The Infinite Game
- Written by: Simon Sinek
- Narrated by: Simon Sinek
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,029
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 840
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 836
Finite games, like football or chess, have known players, fixed rules, and a clear endpoint. The winners and losers are easily identified. Infinite games, games with no finish line, like business or politics, or life itself, have players who come and go. The rules of an infinite game are changeable, while infinite games have no defined endpoint. There are no winners or losers - only ahead and behind. The question is, how do we play to succeed in the game we’re in? In this revelatory new audiobook, Simon Sinek offers a framework for leading with an infinite mindset.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Just "okay" ...
- By MMH Toronto on 2019-11-29
Written by: Simon Sinek
-
The Power Law
- Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future
- Written by: Sebastian Mallaby
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Innovations rarely come from “experts.” Elon Musk was not an “electric car person” before he started Tesla. When it comes to improbable innovations, a legendary tech VC told Sebastian Mallaby, the future cannot be predicted, it can only be discovered. It is the nature of the venture-capital game that most attempts at discovery fail, but a very few succeed at such a scale that they more than make up for everything else. That extreme ratio of success and failure is the power law that drives the VC business, all of Silicon Valley, the wider tech sector, and, by extension, the world.
Written by: Sebastian Mallaby
-
Thinking in Bets
- Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts
- Written by: Annie Duke
- Narrated by: Annie Duke
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 245
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 201
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 201
In Super Bowl XLIX, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made one of the most controversial calls in football history: With 26 seconds remaining, and trailing by four at the Patriots' one-yard line, he called for a pass instead of a handing off to his star running back. The pass was intercepted, and the Seahawks lost. Critics called it the dumbest play in history. But was the call really that bad? Or did Carroll actually make a great move that was ruined by bad luck? Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good book
- By Anonymous User on 2020-06-15
Written by: Annie Duke
-
The Outsiders
- Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success
- Written by: William N. Thorndike
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 104
In The Outsiders, you'll learn the traits and methods striking for their consistency and relentless rationality that helped these unique leaders achieve such exceptional performance. Humble, unassuming, and often frugal, these "outsiders" shunned Wall Street and the press, and shied away from the hottest new management trends. Instead, they shared specific traits that put them and the companies they led on winning trajectories: a laser-sharp focus on per share value as opposed to earnings or sales growth; an exceptional talent for allocating capital and human resources; and the belief that cash flow, not reported earnings, determines a company's long-term value.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Extra Ordinary
- By Levi on 2022-06-21
Written by: William N. Thorndike
-
Build
- An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making
- Written by: Tony Fadell
- Narrated by: Tony Fadell, Roger Wayne
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 76
Tony Fadell led the teams that created the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat and learned enough in 30+ years in Silicon Valley about leadership, design, startups, Apple, Google, decision-making, mentorship, devastating failure, and unbelievable success to fill an encyclopedia. So that’s what this book is. An advice encyclopedia. A mentor in a box. Build is full of personal stories, practical advice and fascinating insights into some of the most impactful products and people of the 20th century.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book
- By Anonymous User on 2023-01-19
Written by: Tony Fadell
-
The Innovator's Dilemma
- Meeting the Challenge of Disruptive Change
- Written by: Clayton M. Christensen
- Narrated by: Deaver Brown
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 37
This audiobook was created based on Clayton Christensen's landmark book The Innovator's Dilemma. This was Mr. Christensen's synopsis of his book for the Harvard Business Review. The audio tracks listed here cover the key elements of Mr. Christensen's book. This audiobook emphasizes the Idea in Brief "Does my organization have the right resources, processes, values, and team to innovate?" Then it covers the right structure for your specific type of innovation.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not the book!
- By rdt on 2019-06-05
Written by: Clayton M. Christensen
-
The Infinite Game
- Written by: Simon Sinek
- Narrated by: Simon Sinek
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,029
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 840
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 836
Finite games, like football or chess, have known players, fixed rules, and a clear endpoint. The winners and losers are easily identified. Infinite games, games with no finish line, like business or politics, or life itself, have players who come and go. The rules of an infinite game are changeable, while infinite games have no defined endpoint. There are no winners or losers - only ahead and behind. The question is, how do we play to succeed in the game we’re in? In this revelatory new audiobook, Simon Sinek offers a framework for leading with an infinite mindset.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Just "okay" ...
- By MMH Toronto on 2019-11-29
Written by: Simon Sinek
-
The Power Law
- Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future
- Written by: Sebastian Mallaby
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
Innovations rarely come from “experts.” Elon Musk was not an “electric car person” before he started Tesla. When it comes to improbable innovations, a legendary tech VC told Sebastian Mallaby, the future cannot be predicted, it can only be discovered. It is the nature of the venture-capital game that most attempts at discovery fail, but a very few succeed at such a scale that they more than make up for everything else. That extreme ratio of success and failure is the power law that drives the VC business, all of Silicon Valley, the wider tech sector, and, by extension, the world.
Written by: Sebastian Mallaby
Publisher's Summary
This program includes a prologue and introduction read by the author.
Washington Post's "10 Leadership Books to Watch for in 2019", Adam Grant's "19 New Leadership Books to Read in 2019", Inc.com's "10 Business Books You Need to Read in 2019", Business Insider's "14 Books Everyone Will Be Reading in 2019"
“This book has everything: new ideas, bold insights, entertaining history, and convincing analysis. Not to be missed by anyone who wants to understand how ideas change the world.” (Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow)
What do James Bond and Lipitor have in common? What can we learn about human nature and world history from a glass of water?
In Loonshots, physicist and entrepreneur Safi Bahcall reveals a surprising new way of thinking about the mysteries of group behavior that challenges everything we thought we knew about nurturing radical breakthroughs.
Drawing on the science of phase transitions, Bahcall reveals why teams, companies, or any group with a mission will suddenly change from embracing wild new ideas to rigidly rejecting them, just as flowing water will suddenly change into brittle ice. Mountains of print have been written about culture. Loonshots identifies the small shifts in structure that control this transition, the same way that temperature controls the change from water to ice.
Using examples that range from the spread of fires in forests to the hunt for terrorists online, and stories of thieves and geniuses and kings, Bahcall reveals how this new kind of science helps us understand the behavior of companies and the fate of empires. Loonshots distills these insights into lessons for creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries everywhere.
Over the past decade, researchers have been applying the tools and techniques of phase transitions to understand how birds flock, fish swim, brains work, people vote, criminals behave, ideas spread, diseases erupt, and ecosystems collapse. If 20th-century science was shaped by the search for fundamental laws, like quantum mechanics and gravity, the 21st will be shaped by this new kind of science. Loonshots is the first to apply these tools to help all of us unlock our potential to create and nurture the crazy ideas that change the world.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
What the critics say
Amazon.com Best Books of the Year
More from the same
What listeners say about Loonshots
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Matt
- 2020-01-16
solid idea, but more a history book
The ideas excited we're solid but I found it focused more on historical proof than ways to implement the ideas in your everyday life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr, V
- 2020-01-25
Educational, Surprising and Inspriational
Pretty strong words, eh?
It was a good book. It is always amazing to me how somethings that we think are logical...are just not.
Serendipity can be as important as facts. The two play together. Structure and Chaos - a time and place for both.
Ego holds us back etc.
Now to get my management to listen to this...if they can get past the ego.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian R. Graham
- 2020-01-10
Loved This Book
Outstanding description of big changes, both good and bad are made to (or not stopped from) happening.
Outstanding historical perspective, examples and pointers on how to build loon shot organizations.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- anand sriganeshar
- 2019-12-31
Interesting framework to foster loonshots
I enjoyed loonshots because it provides a solid framework on how to foster loonshots in an organizations both big and small. What's exciting is that it provides clear guidance on how any organization can implement this immediately
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2019-10-19
Physics as a substitute for a change management model
The case studies are excellent. Although some have been used in other business books.
The phase transitions and physics jargon is really just an analogy for a change management model. It actually doesn’t provide much insight into the issue or as much as using a sociological/psychological approach. For the most part phase transitions is really discussing resisters to change. Using an ice cube analogy at your next board meeting might fall flat, but it is fun to think about.
Looking at organization structure is interesting but how it intersects with culture would probably do more to explain loon shoots.
Read Culture Code instead.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tyler Forster
- 2019-07-17
Grounded Take On Dreaming Big
Fantastic overview of keeping innovation going by separating the two phases: loonshots and franchises, the artists and the soldiers, the creatives and the scales.
Worth listening to for anyone starting, growing or reviving an organization.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Darren
- 2019-04-03
the detail and thought process is excelllent
loved the learning the long true history of so called famous developers and how great success actually happened
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- pd park
- 2019-04-25
Not a fan of the narration style
The narrator’s voice keeps dropping at the end of every sentence to almost a whisper. Turning the volume up makes the louder part of every sentence too loud. I’ve listened to many audio books and never had this problem before.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew C
- 2019-04-18
The first practical innovation book
The book that moved the academic innovation conversation from theory to practice. I admit I loved Clay Christensen's work on "disruptive innovation" as it was the best that was out there before, but this book absolutely crushes previous analysis of innovation.
I love the understanding of problems across domains, particularly phase transitions - water shifts from ice to liquid at a threshold of 0 degrees, similarly companies shift from fostering loonshots to politicking at an organizational size of roughly 150. However, there are levers or "control parameters" that can be used to change when phases transition, similarly to how we put salt on ice which reduces the temperature required for it to melt. Safi proposes a beautiful and actionable formula that captures these control parameters for organizations.
I love the definition of management which is so true: management is about facilitating the harmony between the creatives (one's involved in loonshots) and the soldiers (one's involved in franchise projects) which he calls being a gardener, versus being the individual that chooses which loonshots should be pursued or not (he identifies as the Moses trap). Safi also proposes a useful dichotomy of innovations, p-type which are technologically related, and s-type which are strategy and business model related. While both should be garnered, companies can develop a tendancy to only focus on p-types which have resulted in their demise. Finally, there are fantastic cases to explain all this including Pan Am airways, Bell labs, world war 2, steve jobs and Pixar, and many more.
Don't miss out on this one and refer it to a friend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mimi Stahlberg
- 2019-03-28
Inspiring storytelling for wide audiences
Captivating, rich story-telling with practical takeaways in essentially every paragraph. Whether you’re an innovator, businessman, scientist, thinker or simply just someone who enjoys inspiring stories with twists and underdogs hitting it out of the ballpark, this book is for you. The audiobook is easy to listen to - good selection of a voice actor for those of you that are picky about that.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- 2019-09-23
This book ought to change the world...
Bahcall beautifully synthesizes his perspective on innovation with richly described, often poignant stories of innovators. This approach never feels excessively historical, and provides a more memorable texture to the pragmatic lessons and principles he explores.
Moreover, as a researcher deeply rooted in the dynamical systems perspective that shapes much of Bahcall's view of innovation, the science in and behind the book is treated with the care and rigor needed to ensure this isn't just another successful entrepreneur repackaging their lucky break as a set of life lessons. Bahcall helps us to see how the objective principles of complex adaptive systems apply to innovation in social groups, but never makes overextended claims about what businesses must do in order to succeed.
I cannot recommend this book enough.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sal
- 2019-07-19
an average book
I bought it because of this book was mentioned on some of the top podcasts and Safi's background story sounded cool. The book is unnecessarily long and overall average storytelling. Unless you are from biotech background, you might even feel bored by too many lenghty biotech domain stories. For me personally, in the ocean of amazing books out there, I left it midway. Hence 3 stars.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Charles Cumiskey
- 2019-04-12
A must read for leaders
This book has so many insights on why leaders and organizations fail or are successful. Understand why innovation dies in organizations and much more....
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chad B Wickland
- 2019-04-08
Excellent and brilliant
Gain the tools to bring great ideas to their full fruition by listening to this incredible book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- cathskeller
- 2020-02-09
gimmicky: old ideas in new packaging
i kept waiting for some new ideas or interesting thinking, but ultimately gave up. the author tries to spin the content as new, but it's a lot of old stories with familiar conclusions.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mobile
- 2019-04-24
Never thought I'd want to start a book club
God damn this book was so exciting and interesting!! For a business owner it's like seeing the white light. I'm dying to talk to somebody about it. Lunshot is up there with The Innovator's Dilemma and The Prosperity Paradox. I always laugh at my wife and her book clubs but darn now I have to start one. I'm going to listen to this book a second time just as soon as I finish writing this review If it's that good baby!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Jenny Squibb
- 2020-03-02
Irksome Equation
I lost a lot of trust for this books material when the author introduced an equation for organizations that results in a number M (magic number) that he conveniently matches up with the “ideal” size of cohesive large groups of humans. The units of M are not people, so this is a spurious relationship.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elimaes12
- 2019-10-07
Loved it
Suberb mix between historical evidence and subsequent advice. Numerous examples of why loonshot nurturing is crucial.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!