Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace
- Downloads：2906
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-04-13 11:55:32
- Update Date：2025-09-13
- Status：finish
- Author：Gordon MacKenzie
- ISBN：0670879835
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
Creativity is crucial to business success。 But too often， even the most innovative organization quickly becomes a "giant hairball"--a tangled， impenetrable mass of rules， traditions， and systems， all based on what worked in the past--that exercises an inexorable pull into mediocrity。 Gordon McKenzie worked at Hallmark Cards for thirty years， many of which he spent inspiring his colleagues to slip the bonds of Corporate Normalcy and rise to orbit--to a mode of dreaming， daring and doing above and beyond the rubber-stamp confines of the administrative mind-set。 In his deeply funny book， exuberantly illustrated in full color， he shares the story of his own professional evolution， together with lessons on awakening and fostering creative genius。Originally self-published and already a business "cult classic"， this personally empowering and entertaining look at the intersection between human creativity and the bottom line is now widely available to bookstores。 It will be a must-read for any manager looking for new ways to invigorate employees， and any professional who wants to achieve his or her best， most self-expressive， most creative and fulfilling work。
Reviews
Randy J
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This book has somehow flew under the radar among books on business， leadership， and self-improvement。 Not only is this a fun read but provides valuable lessons on the corporate world and not only how to survive but how to flourish。 This is recommended reading for just about everyone even those that do not enjoy reading。 It is easily digestible for anyone。 I do not often re-read but this will I will revisit again。
Kelly Mcquiston
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Meh
Beth Benoit
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Cute。 Short。 Interesting stories about how the author disrupted a corporate culture to spark creativity。 Though that corporate culture was one that already professed to value creativity， as is clear by his career path in that company。 Font a little small， as are the doodles。
Kook Law
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This is a masterpiece。 Written way ahead of its time。 If you work at a big company， read this for the sake of sanity。
David Taylor
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Read this book in a day。 Don't even know how to describe it。 But you should read it。 Read this book in a day。 Don't even know how to describe it。 But you should read it。 。。。more
Jon
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This book saved my life at the first massive corporation I worked for。 It’s gorgeous， actionable and the kind of writing I aspire to。
Abhisek Ghatak
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Very nicely portrayed a corporate life and how to stand out in the crowd
Samantha Nowatzke
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I really appreciate the messaging of this book that creativity is stifled when we're young and it would be of great benefit for individuals and corporations to encourage and create environments where creativity is rewarded。 It would make for more fulfilling careers， higher engagement and arguably the chance for more profitability as well。 It would have been nice to hear more specific examples of how the author was able to take his career in the direction he did。 It's easier to understand how som I really appreciate the messaging of this book that creativity is stifled when we're young and it would be of great benefit for individuals and corporations to encourage and create environments where creativity is rewarded。 It would make for more fulfilling careers， higher engagement and arguably the chance for more profitability as well。 It would have been nice to hear more specific examples of how the author was able to take his career in the direction he did。 It's easier to understand how someone who was already successful was able to go off in that direction but it would have been nice to learn more about some practical examples of how the "average" mid-level employee might be able to do some of the same。 。。。more
Sara Cole
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A book of magical creativity and wonder。 Perfect for people in the corporate world wanting to branch out in creativity and be inspired。 Highly recommend。
Heqing
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The concept of 'Orbiting' is a similar idea of 'Water' in this is Water。 The concept of 'Orbiting' is a similar idea of 'Water' in this is Water。 。。。more
Geoff Major
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Read this on a single plane journey across to the west coast （Portland）。 Beautifully presented and oh， how I wished it was the sort of book I'd be able to write about my life story。 Read this on a single plane journey across to the west coast （Portland）。 Beautifully presented and oh， how I wished it was the sort of book I'd be able to write about my life story。 。。。more
Benjyklostermann
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Not many business books rise to the level of creativity in message or formatting as this does， or moreover can cross into inspired parallels with life in general。 While in his own good fight to “Orbit the Hairball” of corporate pomp and circumstance at Hallmark for 30 years， author Gordon MacKenzie had the good fortune to see clearly through the red tape and bring joy and passion to the grays of office life。 This book brings many of those lessons learned home in a beautifully written and impactf Not many business books rise to the level of creativity in message or formatting as this does， or moreover can cross into inspired parallels with life in general。 While in his own good fight to “Orbit the Hairball” of corporate pomp and circumstance at Hallmark for 30 years， author Gordon MacKenzie had the good fortune to see clearly through the red tape and bring joy and passion to the grays of office life。 This book brings many of those lessons learned home in a beautifully written and impactful way。 Cannot recommend enough to corporate or creative types！！！ 。。。more
Mj Sipin
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I really enjoyed this book。 Read it while on my trip。 It's very entertaining and great out-of-the box thinking that can be implemented in any organization。 I really enjoyed this book。 Read it while on my trip。 It's very entertaining and great out-of-the box thinking that can be implemented in any organization。 。。。more
Tala
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Having worked at Hallmark while reading this book， I felt like the author did a fantastic job of capturing the problem with working in a major corporation such as Hallmark。
Cheryl Swenson
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I loved some of the stories the author told。 Although there are some nuggets for just about anyone， I felt like （and I'm pretty sure that was the author's intent） that the best audience for this book was someone in business or the corporate world。 Still， it's good to be encouraged to step outside of your comfort zone or the norm and be creative。 I loved some of the stories the author told。 Although there are some nuggets for just about anyone， I felt like （and I'm pretty sure that was the author's intent） that the best audience for this book was someone in business or the corporate world。 Still， it's good to be encouraged to step outside of your comfort zone or the norm and be creative。 。。。more
Danielle Trevino
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This is an essential book for the creative soul functioning in the corporate world。 If you ever feel， or fear， that bureaucracy is squeezing out the space in your life for original thinking and creativity – then this is your Red Cross parcel。This is a really great book for people who have a hard time being employees and fitting into other people's boxes。 It helps you step back and think about how you can fit in， how you can be different， and how you can separate yourself while still getting yo This is an essential book for the creative soul functioning in the corporate world。 If you ever feel， or fear， that bureaucracy is squeezing out the space in your life for original thinking and creativity – then this is your Red Cross parcel。This is a really great book for people who have a hard time being employees and fitting into other people's boxes。 It helps you step back and think about how you can fit in， how you can be different， and how you can separate yourself while still getting your work done。 Gordon MacKenzie's book is beautifully done both in prose and artistic style。 I would highly recommend it to anyone stifled in creativity by an archaic corporation！ 。。。more
Wendy Cown
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A fun， entertaining read with some insights along the way。 The illustrations are interesting and some fun stories as well。 It caught the eye of kids visiting who were interested in the subject for several minutes and enjoyed his story from the cliff。 Showing grown ups don't always make good choices can be fun and useful for kids as well as adults。 A fun， entertaining read with some insights along the way。 The illustrations are interesting and some fun stories as well。 It caught the eye of kids visiting who were interested in the subject for several minutes and enjoyed his story from the cliff。 Showing grown ups don't always make good choices can be fun and useful for kids as well as adults。 。。。more
Rob
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A lovely little book to inspire one to think beyond the box （in this case the hairball） and bring creativity and inspiration to the workplace。 Full of wisdom and presented in an engaging， fun manner。
McKenna
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I read this with Jesse which was fun and also explains why it took forever to finish。 Overall I really liked the little lessons he provided with various insight into being more creative and getting outside of rote thinking。 While I don’t work in a corporation， I still thought it was great！ He’s a VERY quirky — one might say creative — character， but I think we need more people like him to help those on the other extreme come more toward the middle of the spectrum。 It was an awesome read！
Jesse Sumrak
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Read this together with my wife and really enjoyed it。 He’s a quirky fellow with a robust （too robust） vocabulary， but he brings up a lot of good points， problems， and solutions。 You find yourself nodding very often while reading。 Great for anyone stuck in the corporate world。
Blair Garside
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Anyone in middle management should read this book。
Kelby Martin
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It's been awhile since I read it， but I recall it being a nice， profound， and short read。 I can't recall the big， primary takeaway theme and point from this book， so it may be time for a re-read。 It's been awhile since I read it， but I recall it being a nice， profound， and short read。 I can't recall the big， primary takeaway theme and point from this book， so it may be time for a re-read。 。。。more
Rhoda
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This book was on a list of Jon Acuff's favorites。 It is a very different approach to a book as each chapter is a new format and focus。 （FYI， chapters tend to be short。） The book is aimed at how creatives can survive corporate culture， but I think it's for non-creatives as well。 Or maybe I have enough creativity in me that I found it very useful。 Gordon MacKenzie did many presentation internally to Hallmark but also external as well。 I found his approach to each presentation intriguing as he disc This book was on a list of Jon Acuff's favorites。 It is a very different approach to a book as each chapter is a new format and focus。 （FYI， chapters tend to be short。） The book is aimed at how creatives can survive corporate culture， but I think it's for non-creatives as well。 Or maybe I have enough creativity in me that I found it very useful。 Gordon MacKenzie did many presentation internally to Hallmark but also external as well。 I found his approach to each presentation intriguing as he discussed a variety of techniques and props he used that allowed his audience to understand his message without being a content dump。The yellow pages in the middle may be what I ponder on the most。 Why should a companies org chart be a plum tree instead of a pyramid。 I won't spoil it but his quote on Page 179 explains why pretty succinctly。Read the book to find ways to interject creativity and life into any organization your are a part of--work， church， clubs， etc。 。。。more
Scott Ginther
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This was a gift from my sister。 This is my first book from her in 2020 and she’s 1 for 1， batting 100%。 That is a heck of a lot better then my 2020 average for literature selection。 Gordon MacKenzie originally published this book back in the 90s。 I enjoy reading something good from that time。 It feels like a lost decade so I’m curious how my sister came across it。 tThis was a quick and fun read。 The author worked at Hallmark for 30 years and the primary theme of the book was to stay true to your This was a gift from my sister。 This is my first book from her in 2020 and she’s 1 for 1， batting 100%。 That is a heck of a lot better then my 2020 average for literature selection。 Gordon MacKenzie originally published this book back in the 90s。 I enjoy reading something good from that time。 It feels like a lost decade so I’m curious how my sister came across it。 tThis was a quick and fun read。 The author worked at Hallmark for 30 years and the primary theme of the book was to stay true to yourself while employed by a big corporation。 I felt like I was reading the cathartic detox journal of a hippie who was railing against the man after three decades of working with him。 tThis is an appropriate gift as I felt like I fought that same battle and walked away after almost two decades instead of three。 I’d like to think I stayed true to myself as Gordon MacKenzie preaches but I could only take so much of the same atmosphere before feeling myself disintegrate。 Gordon was able to make it to retirement before saying goodbye and truly stretching his legs。 I stretched mine a little earlier and now find myself out in the world without the safety net provided by 10 to 20 more years with the same firm。 That being said I have those 10 to 20 years to find something new and more exciting。 Instead of orbiting the same giant hairball for my entire adult life I’ll find a new one or maybe make one of my very own。tIt’s always validating to see a story which closely resembles the one you have in your head about yourself。 Especially when everything works out。 Thumbs up。 。。。more
Chris Rawlinson
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Short and fun， if you are a creative person getting into a management or leadership role this book should be mandatory reading。 It's short enjoyable and the advice is pretty timeless too wich is rather handy for today's always shifting world。 Short and fun， if you are a creative person getting into a management or leadership role this book should be mandatory reading。 It's short enjoyable and the advice is pretty timeless too wich is rather handy for today's always shifting world。 。。。more
Graeme
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I was uninspired for the first few chapters， but continuing on through the middle 75% there were some really good thoughts on creativity and leadership。 I was slightly unsatisfied with the last chapter， but would recommend this book to others。
Chelsea
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Fun read with a great message for many of us stuck navigating a crushing corporate culture。
Soon Chuan
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Illustrated in exuberant colours， this book imparts more than lessons on awakening and fostering creative genius， but also how to fight conformity and to stand out in the face of bureaucratic and organisational mediocrity。 A delightful piece！
Hillary Marshall
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Interesting book with lots of different insight on how Hallmark CEO cultivates curiosity in his company to encourage creativity。 Loved many of the insights and got the suggestion from a principal who attended one of my Makerspace trainings。 Really enjoyed and recommend for any leader who wants to lead differently！
Eric Ganshert
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