Lars Kolind is the former CEO of Oticon, a leading Denmark-based maker of hearing aids. In his book, The Second Cycle: Winning the War Against Bureaucracy , published by Wharton School Publishing, he argues that size, age and success can make mature companies deaf to signals that portend future decline. He summarizes his views in the following excerpt.   [M]any mature organizations need reinvention. If you are helping your company reinvent itself as needed, you need to go beyond merely being flexible and responsive. Reinventing a mature company often means changing its mental model, including its approach to customers, suppliers, employees, and everyday working habits. It means constant evaluation and awareness of the big picture, as well as awareness of the details of getting everyday business accomplished — using the tools shared in this book or developing your own. It means being ahead of change instead of being behind it.…