E290 | Redefining Business with Science and Openness: The Geek Way with Andrew McAfee

Mind Your F**king Business

This week we're set for a riveting discussion with Andrew McAfee, a Principal Research Scientist at MIT and the ingenious author of The Geek Way. In this episode, Andrew and Dominic explore the realm of “geek companies" — organisations that defy the conventional corporate playbook through their technology-driven services and groundbreaking strategies.

Andrew shared his unique perspective on why companies like Uber and Airbnb – while not traditional tech firms – epitomise the behaviours and characteristics of this new breed of business. He will explore the essential norms that set these companies apart—science, speed, ownership, and openness—and how these principles fuel high performance and break the shackles of hierarchy and deference that often hold back conventional organisations.

During this insightful conversation, Dominic and Andrew dived into the birth of the agile movement, the fallacy of the "Liars’ Club," and the critical importance of autonomy and empowerment in nurturing a successful, forward-thinking workforce.

Don’t miss this genuinely insightful episode where we blend the ingredients of business performance, corporate culture, and high-performing teams into a concoction that's bound to challenge your perceptions.

Download and listen today!

On today’s podcast:

• What is the Geek Way
• The Core Norms of Geek Companies
• So-Called Tech Firms: Are They Really?
• Lessons From Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk
• The Importance of Transparency and Speed in Project Management

Follow Andrew:

Website

LinkedIn

Twitter

The Geek Way

Recommended reading:

The Knowledge Machine

Elon Musk

How Big Things Get Done

Right Kind of Wrong

The Secret of Our Success

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