Robert W. MacDonald 
Beat The System 
11 Secrets to Building an Entrepreneurial Culture in a Bureaucratic World

Smart guidelines for building flexible, innovative companies

Beat the System is a follow-up to Robert Mac Donald’s controversial
but successful first book, Cheat to Win. Packed with proven,
real-life advice, Beat the System shows readers how to deal with
the bureaucracy that can smother the creativity and
entrepreneurship essential to long-range business success. Beat the
System teaches readers how to beat the bureaucratic system by
building entrepreneurial cultures in their businesses, their
departments, or even their individual jobs. Mac Donald skillfully
describes how business cultures develop, how bureaucratic
procedures and processes seep into them, and how to build an
entrepreneurial culture even as we live in a bureaucratic world. At
the heart of his system are practical steps that create a sense of
ownership among employees, invites their participation, creates a
common mission, fosters an entrepreneurial atmosphere, and shares
the rewards with all.

Robert W. Mac Donald (Wayzata, MN) is a true visionary in the
financial services industry who rose from a door-to-door insurance
salesman to the CEO of Allianz Life of North America. He was also
the founder, CEO, and chairman of Life USA.

Table of Content

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Prologue. A Case Study for Beating The System.

Chapter 1. Bureaucracy: The Enemy of Business Success.

Chapter 2. The 11 Simple Secrets.

Chapter 3. Secret #1: Build Parallel Interests.

Chapter 4. Secret #2: Be an Architect of the Future.

Chapter 5. Secret #3: Be Decisive, Multifaceted and Ethical to a
Fault.

Chapter 6. Secret #4: Know the Risk–Measure the Reward.

Chapter 7. Secret #5: Communication. Be a Shower not a
Teller.

Chapter 8. Secret #6: Power to the People.

Chapter 9. Secret #7: Become a Trust Builder.

Chapter 10. Secret #8: Sharing Wealth Increases Wealth.

Chapter 11. Secret #9: Be Consistent, Constant and Concise.

Chapter 12. Secret #10: Treat Important People Like Important
People.

Chapter 13. Secret #11: Do Simple Things–Simply DO Them.

Chapter 14. Building from the Inside Out: Lessons I Learned in
Creating AIMS.

Epilogue: Certificate of Guaranteed Entrepreneurial Success.

Appendix. Sample Memo to the Gods.

Index.

About the author

Robert W. Mac Donald is a true visionary and business contrarian
who rose from a door-to-door insurance salesman to the very
pinnacle of the corporate world. He was the founder, CEO, and
chairman of Life USA, a life insurance company which was formed in
1987 and sold to Allianz SE for $500 million. He retired as
chairman and CEO of Allianz North America. He is also the author of
Cheat to Win: The Honest Way to Break All the Dishonest Rules in
Business.

For more information, please visit www.cheattowin.net.