A modern fable for future-ready leaders

What does effective innovation look like in today’s constantly changing business world? What approaches work best, and how do they differ from traditional techniques? 

These are the questions that Inflo CEO Mark Edmondson explores in his new book, The Creek Way. This modern fable tells the story of two attractions at Silver Pines, a popular entertainment and adventure area. Both the Great Ape-Scape Zoo and Creekside Farm have unfortunately fallen on hard times. Attendance numbers are declining at both and the animals in charge of each know something must be done to reverse the troubling trend.  

As the book explores through its colourful illustrations and lively storytelling, each team takes a decidedly different approach to turning their situation around.  

At the zoo, the animal leadership team adopts a traditional, top-down waterfall approach. Old ideas are recycled, quick-fix solutions are implemented, and decisions are made on instinct and guesswork. 

Meanwhile, the leaders at the farm implement a more agile and collaborative strategy. It focuses on conducting targeted research, utilising data, and empowering team members to make decisions. Boldness and risk-taking are encouraged. 

The results of each team’s efforts reveal the value of agility and creativity when it comes to innovation and change management. 

The Creek Way was inspired by Andrew McAfee’s book The Geek Way, which looks at how tech-driven companies succeed by embracing the four core principles of speed, ownership, science, and openness. Experimentation, decentralised decision-making, and continuous learning help “geek” cultures outperform more established corporate models. This offers companies a pathway to meaningful innovation in today’s fast-paced digital world. 

In The Creek Way you’ll learn how to: 

• Break down large projects into smaller tasks  

• Utilise data effectively to make more scientific, fact-based decisions 

• Empower ownership and accountability across teams  

• Take lessons from both failures and successes to inform future innovation efforts 

Download your copy or read it online here.