by Thomas Meylan, Ph.D. and Terry Teays, Ph.D.
This is the book for those who say, "I want to work half as much and make twice as much money,"
assuming they are willing to do the "up-front" work and set up their businesses as real systems.
This is a book of success-producing principles. It is not a cookbook for success. As such, it requires
study. It takes a lot of work to make history. This case study uncovered and documented
a web of approaches that together produced this history making project.
The founding managers of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite mission built a
foundation of success that included an understanding of multiple markets
and intertwined constituencies, the observational skills for spotting and hiring exceptional talent, and
the gifts for modelling business processes that could take best advantage of the state of the market and
the skills available to satisfy it.
If you are the kind of person who thrills in the challenge of doing very difficult things well
(like launching a high-tech business), this is the book for you. This book shows how a crack team working
for NASA consistently did difficult things extremely well. It's all there.
Many of the people named in Optimizing Luck came to this celebration, as well as most of the cast
of hundreds that achieved great things for astrophysics while obtaining deep personal satisfaction
for work well done. Put some names and faces together. Get a sense for how world-class nerds really party.
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Early Praise for Optimizing Luck
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One of the most outstanding books on people, leadership, management and making things
happen in an uncertain, global and competitive environment. This is not one of those
umpteen "me too" management books which you read, promptly forget and throw into the
trashcan. A book which has to be underlined, highlighted, dog-eared and made part
of day-to-day living.
Sanjeev N. Kulkarni, CEO & Principal Architect, Advent Software Ltd.
Meylan and Teays present excellent strategies to nurture women and men as creative
leaders, so that the workplace of the future does not mirror that of the past.
Donna J. Dean, National President, Association for Women in Science
Meylan and Teays provide an inspirational lesson on how to establish a culture of
working together to optimize luck and mitigate risk. Optimizing Luck is a
must read for anyone truly trying to establish a successful business culture.
Gene Allen, Co-author of Collaborative R & D: Manufacturing's New Tool,
President and CEO of Decision Incite, Inc.
Optimizing Luck offers a wide range of guidance to companies from hiring the best
employees to effectively delegating, and from leadership values to establishing a
corporate culture linked to success. I really enjoyed the book and I look forward to
putting these tips into practice for my organization.
Julia Loughran, President, ThoughtLink, Inc.
Meylan and Teays show how the reader cannot only nurture his or her business environment
to enhance the possibility of luck, but take full advantage of it when it occurs.
I was very impressed and highly recommend the book to business managers and owners.
Dr. James Kalshoven, NASA Emeritus, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Technology Manager
Optimizing Luck covers the basics of people management, systems management,
and leadership in an easy-to-read style. There's something here for everyone,
from the first-time manager to the experienced entrepreneur/leader. I highly recommend it.
John L. Eckenrode, President and Founder, Corporate Professional Services, a Baltimore Fast 50 Company.
The techniques described by Meylan and Teays work. I had the good fortune to see them
in practice first hand when Tom Meylan was on my team helping to build a consulting
practice from initiation to a successful international service.
Frank Vezzi, Senior Management Consultant to Fortune 100 Companies
Optimizing Luck provides a strong foundation for building an adaptable culture
that can foster the open mindedness necessary to embrace change, allowing companies to
fully realize the opportunities that are presented to them.
Cynthia Gilmer, President and Founder, Opus Plus, Inc.
I am a strong believer in luck! Read the whole book, and you'll get your money's worth.
Trenton Hightower, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Virginia Community College Systems
