Managing Change and Transition

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An essential introduction. - Rated
For me, this is an excellent synopsis of the change & transition process. Having worked with a number of operational managers who have either organised or managed change but not fully understood the breadth of the challenge this clear & concise overview highligths the major issues in planning, organising and effectively executing change. It can be digested over a weekend. I will use it and recommend it to others considering a change programme.

It is a set of initial directions not a map, you will need to plan & travel your own journey.

Fundamental guidebook for managing change - Rated
Institutional change can be scary, but this Harvard Business Essentials entry does a solid job of demystifying it. The book provides immediately applicable conceptual tools, from broad theoretical frameworks to specific tables and checklists you can use during the change process. It pushes readers to take action, but only action they have planned, tested and researched. Its suggestions have all been shown to work in many situations. The book's brevity makes it easy to use, but it also means that a number of complex issues are only sketched out, leaving the reader to figure out how to best apply them. We, therefore, recommend this competent starting text to managers who are just beginning to think about guiding change, and to experienced change managers who can extrapolate its ideas and will welcome it as a focused reference.

Invaluable "Essentials" - Rated
This is one of several paperbacks in the "Essentials" series, each of which offers "cutting edge" thinking on a major business subject. Mike Beer served as the adviser to Richard Luecke while he wrote this volume. Brief information about both is provided. There are seven chapters following an Introduction in which Luecke observes that "Accepting the necessity and inevitability of change enables [all companies and their decision-makers] to see times of transition not as threats but as opportunities -- opportunities for reinventing the company and its culture." Indicators include a merger, acquisition, or divestiture; the launch of a new product or service; a new leader; or a new technology. "In this book you will learn how to manage change constructively, and how to help your company, division, and people deal with the upheavals of change. You'll also learn practical things you can do to make change initiatives more successful and less painful for the people you manage."

Each of the seven chapters (which are arranged in a logical sequence) focuses on a separate but related component of effective management of change and transition. For example, in Chapter 2, Luecke explains why leaders must be respected and effective for change to happen, the role of motivation in change-readiness, the importance of a nonhierarchical culture in implementing change, and then offers several "tips" on how to become "change ready." To me, one of the most valuable chapters is the sixth (in which Luecke examines the four stages of reaction to change (i.e. shock, defensive retreat, acknowledgment, and acceptance and adaptation), how individuals can help themselves navigate change, how managers can help employees cope with change, and alternative ways for managers to think about change registers.

At the conclusion of each of the seven chapters, Luecke offers an especially useful "Summing Up" section which facilitates a periodic review of key points. I also appreciate the provision of Appendix A ("Useful Implementation Tools") and Appendix B ("How to Choose and Work with Consultants"), both of which provide basic but sound information to supplement material covered in the previous chapters.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Jim O'Toole's Leading Change, William Bridges' Transitions and Managing Transitions and Jon Katzenbach's Real Change Leaders, all of which are available in paperback editions.