Irresistible by Josh Bersin Summary
Overview of Irresistible
In "Irresistible," HR guru Josh Bersin reveals seven secrets of enduring organizations after seven years of research. Adam Grant calls it "a road map for humane workplaces" - the blueprint for people-centered leadership that's transforming how industry titans build lasting, engaged teams.
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Key takeaways
When Work Stops Working: The Great Unraveling and Network Revolution
Here's a startling fact: the average company lifespan has crashed from 61 years to less than 18. While executives scramble to explain this collapse through market forces and digital disruption, they're missing the real story unfolding in their own hallways. Employees are voting with their feet-35% of the U.S. workforce walked away from their jobs in 2021 alone. What's driving this exodus isn't just better pay elsewhere. People are fleeing organizations that treat them like cogs in a machine rather than humans with potential. The old playbook-hierarchical control, rigid job descriptions, annual performance reviews-has become a liability in a world where innovation determines survival. Companies built on 20th-century management principles are crumbling while a new breed of organization is emerging, one that understands a fundamental truth: the path to profits runs through purpose, and the road to productivity winds through human flourishing. Think about how most organizations still operate. Someone at the top makes a decision, passes it down through layers of management, and months later something finally happens-usually too late to matter. This industrial-era hierarchy worked brilliantly when the goal was producing identical widgets at scale. But today's challenges demand something entirely different: speed, creativity, and the ability to pivot on a dime. The solution isn't tweaking the org chart-it's fundamentally reimagining how work gets done. Progressive companies are organizing around networks of small, empowered teams rather than departments and divisions. Think of it like the difference between a classical orchestra and a jazz ensemble. The orchestra needs a conductor telling everyone exactly what to play and when. But a jazz band? Each musician knows their role, listens intently to others, and improvises together toward a shared vision. Spotify cracked this code with their "squad" model-teams of eight or fewer people working together physically with clear missions. These squads operate autonomously but remain "loosely coupled but tightly aligned." When ANZ Bank adopted this approach, CEO Shayne Elliott watched as "very quickly the way of work changes." Hierarchies flattened, departments dissolved, and suddenly people were organizing around customer outcomes rather than functional silos.
Skills Over Titles and the Evolution of Leadership
Culture, Wellbeing, and the Power of Recognition
Growth Over Promotion: Unleashing the Learning Revolution
Purpose Beyond Profit: Why Meaning Defines Modern Organizations
Team Performance and Psychological Safety
Building Your Irresistible Future: Where Human Potential Meets Business Performance
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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