rEvolution - How to Thrive in Crazy Times

rEvolution - How to Thrive in Crazy Times by Bill Lucas; published by Crown House Publishing.

Not just a book but a generous compendium of practical ideas; so generous in fact that you'll surely thrive on just a fraction of the suggestions Bill Lucas offers up in this compelling book - is the testimonial by Dr Peter Honey on the front cover of rEvolution: How to thrive in Crazy Times. And certainly, this book is packed with ideas, theories and suggestions for how to adapt to an increasingly complex and ever changing world.

Darwinism is referenced heavily both in the title and throughout the book; the main premise of the book however is that change itself is changing. And rather than struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of change we should instead develop a new mindset to manage in this new world. What he means by this is becoming aware of our existing modus operandi and where necessary discarding them in favour of new habits that will serve us better.

The book outlines nine rules to develop this new mindset: Change is changing; Real change is internal not external; Slow down; We can all change the way we see the world; We can all learn how to change more effectively; No one can make you change; Sometimes it's smart to resist; Use the brainpower of those around you;  Make up your own rules.  Each rule is carefully drawn out and discussed with useful tools and models and a very helpful summary at the end of each one.

For me the most useful part of this book was Lucas's thoughts on adaptive intelligence. This refers to learning how to change more effectively by experimenting, imitation, creative problem solving and reflecting on actions. His description of how technology has enabled us to collaborate,  tap into and build on collective thinking via social media tools is also compelling.

Overall, Lucas's writing style is engaging and thought provoking. While many of the theories aren't new, they are presented in a fresh way. I'd concur with Dr Honey's statement that even applying a small part of the suggestions would lead to great outcomes.