Book excerpt: All too many business books focus on grand concepts that are appealing but not practical. Beyond Goals...Beyond Lean, on the other hand, provides clear, hard-hitting real-world business advice that executives can use. Fred Conforti knows how to build a business and he shares his years of experience in the trenches in this remarkable book.” Tim Calkins Clinical Professor of Marketing Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management The object of managing a business is to serve customers in the best ways possible in order to maximize results for employees and owners. This guidebook is for executives who want to go beyond the traditional approach of relying on lean manufacturing principles or MBOs to achieve their goals. Using the prescribed GAMES© method, one company went from insolvency to profitability in six months and then beyond to become the largest supplier of residential smoke detectors. Another company went from the brink of closing to the top brand in the fire controls business in twelve years. Time after time, companies have used the GAMES© method to execute dramatic improvements and turnarounds. Executives at these companies empowered coworkers and created self-motivated cultures and thriving enterprises—you can do the same. Learn how to assess the condition of your company; gather feedback from customers, conduct a SWOT analysis, develop a Plan and move beyond traditional business practices. Charts, images, and key summaries make it easy to follow the strategies, so you can eliminate problems, energize employees, and move Beyond Goals ... Beyond Lean.