"Defining Moments is a deeply honest, personal and at times moving account of one man's voyage of self-discovery. Through a series of "defining moments," Kees shows how personal crises and professional challenges can not only be overcome but can also be used to help give greater purpose and meaning to life - to help make the individual stronger, the family more cohesive and the organization more united."Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever

What do Indian tractors and iconic America ice-cream companies have in common? Why are leaders of Unilever, Nestle, and many other global companies redefining their futures? Why does this matter to you?

The world is shifting and it's fast and furious. The world is more connected every day. Global challenges are multiplying - and the institutions that we expect to take care of these issues can't do it alone. Are you - and your organization - ready for this world? If not, you had better get ready - if you don't rethink your business, someone else will.

From interviews with 156 CEOs and senior leaders of organizations from around the world and our work with top teams of leading companies, this book offers insights and practical tools for leaders preparing their businesses, and themselves, for the future. The focus is what actions can be taken today to prepare - including how to bridge the gap between delivering today and succeeding in the future.

Business leaders today live in two worlds, the immediate and the long-term. Given intense and growing pressures for immediate results, many leaders are caught up in a short-term trap, and many organizations are becoming exhausted with activity. But is this activity really preparing them for the future, or are they just trying to hold onto the past?

On the other side, there are fundamental trends reshaping the world in which business will compete in the future. These changes include falling boundaries between industries (e.g., with banks competing with telecommunications firms), a shifting economic center of gravity, and changing expectations - or demands - from consumers, employees and even society as a whole. Incremental change from current business models and mindsets will not adequately prepare businesses for this future.

So the question facing leaders today is how to prepare their organizations for the future, while continuing to deliver current results. This challenge is the focus of Ready? The 3Rs of Preparing Your Organization for the Future.

With a foreword by Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, the book highlights 5 major challenges facing senior business leaders today:

Bridging the gap: Understand and address the causes of the short- vs long-term trap in your organization

Rethinking your playing field: Analyze the trends reshaping your future and define the implications on your business

Redefining your ambition: Address the need to clarify your vision and purpose as fundamental building blocks for preparing for the future

Reshaping how you work: Highlight the use of two directional thinking to clarify your "sprints" and "marathons," explore the need to move from transactional to a relational mindset in your interactions, and move from an organization based on complacency to one with the courage, capacity and commitment to challenge and move your organization forward.

The 3Rs of preparing yourself for the future: Understand and address the challenges facing you as a leader in preparing yourself for the future.

Are you ready?