Arguing that people’s best performance comes “when the least control is applied” and “when trust exists by default,” Jaroslawski’s Digital Irreverent lives up to its pitch: how the success of top digital talent, who often feel empowered to approach their work with a new “irreverence” for traditional hierarchies, can inform management approaches for other organizations. Jaroslawski, the Chief Technology Officer at the Dubai-based global financial institution Edenred UAE, is known for assembling technology and product development teams that outpace the competition. Here, he presents a clear and inviting playbook for a principled irreverence in product development, calling for collaborative, interdisciplinary, purpose-driven, customer-focused teams given the freedom and trust to “adapt to any circumstances.” Pointing out hard truths about today’s demand-driven economy, where there’s little time for catch-up, Jaroslawski argues that it’s urgent to “lose respect for the things which, while commanding respect in our business world, negatively contribute to the results we seek.”

Instead, he calls for an unwavering focus on exceeding customer expectations and offers a wealth of hard-won, practical advice, from reminders not to “fall in love” with established processes to the six steps of his *Digital Irreverent* Playbook. He also offers advice on spreading responsibility among competent partners and instilling in teams a sense of ownership (he prefers Project Owners to Project Managers). Otherwise, the book is an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and, above all, instructional read.

Digital Irreverent is a resourceful, of-the-moment guide for those looking to take their organization to that seemingly elusive next level. Irreverence, a concept explored in depth, is linked with agility, inquisitiveness, and the ability to pounce on new opportunities without worrying about entrenched hierarchies. Small companies, Jaroslawski notes, can benefit from new technology just as readily as larger competitors, and the small company that is first to market may quickly become a dominant player, especially if it is satisfying customer needs in a way its established competitors—likely less open to irreverent innovation—have failed to achieve.

Takeaway: Practical, thought-provoking guidance to empowering digital development teams for success.

Comparable Titles: George Karseras’s Build Better Teams, Nigel Vaz’s Digital Business Transformation.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A