xii abouT The auThor eville Lake is a Registered Psychologist, an internationally recognized strategic planner and a business improvement spe- cialist (which is an unusual ­ possibly unique ­ combination). He has worked for three of the world's largest consulting firms, written seven books, visited over 100 best-practice organizations, consulted to over 150 busi- nesses and has been applauded by over 500,000 people in countries across the world. He established his own business, The Lake Group, in 1998. Neville has developed his understanding of how businesses work through visits to n