This is a summary review of Imagine It Forward containing key details about the book.

What is Imagine It Forward About?

“Imagine It Forward” by Beth Comstock offers a behind-the-scenes look at the innovation and transformation strategies that helped shape the culture and success of General Electric during her tenure as vice chair. (Full Summary…)

Imagine It Forward Summary Review

“Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change” presents an inspiring narrative crafted by Beth Comstock, former Vice Chair and head of marketing and innovation at GE, in collaboration with Tahl Raz. This book transcends the conventional boundaries of corporate storytelling, providing readers with a deeply personal and candid exploration of Comstock’s journey in mastering change amidst uncertainty.

The book addresses the inherent challenges of confronting change, both at an organizational and personal level. Comstock contends that change is a constant, and resisting it only hinders progress. Drawing on her own transformation from an introverted publicist to GE’s first woman Vice Chair, Comstock shares hard-won lessons from steering a 125-year-old American institution toward a new digital future and fostering a more innovative culture.

A distinctive feature of “Imagine It Forward” lies in its amalgamation of Comstock’s personal narrative with vital lessons on overcoming the inevitable roadblocks associated with change. As a successful woman in business, she highlights her role in initiating GE’s Ecomagination clean-energy and digital transformations. The book serves as a blueprint for readers seeking to become “change makers” by leading with imagination.

The narrative emphasizes that fear, particularly attachment to the old, is the primary obstacle hindering progress. Comstock contends that ideas are seldom the problem; rather, it is the reluctance to let go of the familiar. The book encapsulates the messy and uncertain nature of transforming a company’s mindset and culture, offering no easy checklists but instead urging readers to navigate the complexity with courage, creativity, and a willingness to defy convention.

“Imagine It Forward” is a compelling exploration of Comstock’s experiences, offering insights into the challenges, tensions, and occasional failures involved in effecting substantial change. The book encourages readers to embrace smart risks, seek out emerging trends, and boldly test ideas. It is positioned as a valuable resource for those spearheading change in their companies and careers, providing a roadmap to reinvent established ways of doing things.

The book resonates with the authenticity and courage of Comstock’s storytelling, revealing the inner workings of Fortune 100 companies and the personal battles of change agents within them. The narrative invites readers to reconsider their roles in driving change and challenges the status quo. Beth Comstock’s “Imagine It Forward” emerges not only as an inspiring personal story but also as a thought-provoking guide for individuals and organizations navigating the ever-evolving landscape of change and innovation.

Who is the author of Imagine It Forward?

Elizabeth “Beth” Comstock is an American business executive. She is a former vice chair of General Electric. She operated GE Business Innovations, which developed new businesses, markets and service models; drove brand value and partners to enhance GE’s inventive culture.

Tahl Raz is a storyteller of big ideas in business, technology and the social sciences that are transforming the way we work and live. An award-winning journalist and best-selling author, he has edited and published in everything from Inc. Magazine and GQ to Harvard Business Review and the Jerusalem Post.

How long is Imagine It Forward?

• Print length: 389 pages

What genre is Imagine It Forward?

Business, Nonfiction, Leadership

What are good quotes from Imagine It Forward?

“traditional business strategy too often does not bother to create a story or narrative about its actions for its employees and the world to gather around. For the strategy to become reality, people need to see themselves in the story and then take action to make the story happen.”

“Giving ourselves permission allows us to hack rules that don’t make sense rather than follow them; to take ideas and stories apart that aren’t working; to go around the gatekeepers, bullies, and bureaucratic bottlenecks that would stifle change. Developing a habit of self-permission will instill in you the belief that you are in control of your career and your life, regardless of what is going on around you.”

“A spark is a person, usually an outsider, whose unique perspective—the more different, the better—challenges the team to think differently.”