Book Description
In Leading Change, John Kotter examines the efforts of more than 100 companies to remake themselves into better competitors. He identifies the most common mistakes leaders and managers make in attempting to create change and offers an eight-step process to overcome the obstacles and carry out the firm's agenda: establishing a greater sense of urgency, creating the guiding coalition, developing a vision and strategy, communicating the change vision, empowering others to act, creating short-term wins, consolidating gains and producing even more change, and institutionalizing new approaches in the future. This highly personal book reveals what John Kotter has seen, heard, experienced, and concluded in 25 years of working with companies to create lasting transformation.
Customer Reviews:
Effectively Managing Change.......2007-08-17
In this book, Kotter methodically and carefully explains his eight-step process for creating major change in business organizations. He notes that the rate of organisational change has been increasing in recent years. The rapid and continual innovation in technology is driving changes to organisational systems and processes. There are also increased expectations of employees as they move more freely between organisations.
Kotter highlights the critical importance of leadership in any change programme. Strong, sustained leadership is crucial to changing deeply rooted corporate cultures and successfully implementing the change process.
John Kotter describes a helpful eight step model for understanding and managing change. Each stage acknowledges a key principle identified by Kotter relating to people's response and approach to change, in which people see, feel and then change.
In spite of the importance and permanence of organisational change, most change initiatives fail to deliver the expected organisational benefits. This book should help those involved in the change process to avoid the pitfalls and follow the eight steps that are explained in detail in the book.
Anyone planning or implementing a change programme will find the book useful, helpful and handy. The author presents the subject in a simple, concise, and easy to follow format.
Wow - thoughtful AND useful.......2007-06-28
Kotter's book is a roadmap of how to introduce a culture change effectively into an organization. Similar to "Good to Great" (Jim Collins), the book is much better organized and thorough.
Amazing!!.......2007-06-26
Have no further words to describe how increrable John Kotter brings in a easy way a subject so complex and important now-a-days. Indeed, it is recommend for all leaders who wants to take right decisions during turbulent times.
Still the definitive work on Change.......2007-06-13
I have been working in the change arena for the last 15 years and Kotter's book on Leading Change is still the definitive work. Based on his seminal 1994 HBR article "Leading Change: Why Transformations efforts fail" this is the best down-to-earth guide for both consultants and managers leading change. It has good practical examples and straightforward arguments - no psychological mumbo jumbo.
Envision, introduce, sustain change. or die........2007-05-09
Kotter gives us here a valuable handbook on how to visualize, introduce, and sustain change in an organization. Here are a few quotes:
"Handling new initiatives quickly is not an essential component of success in relatively stable or cartel-like environments. The problem for us today is that stability is no longer the norm. And most experts agree that over the next few decades the business environment will become only more volatile."
"Useful change tends to be associated with a multistep process that creates power and motivation sufficient to overwhelm all the sources of inertia."
Customer Reviews:
What makes strategy really work ?.......2007-04-10
Considering the high ranking and the established name of Warton School, I bought this book. Whether you like this book or not, depends mainly on what you are looking for.
The author says, making strategy work is more difficult, than finding a suitable strategy for the business you are in. Following my own experiences I doubt this. How many companies do we really know, that have a sound strategy that can be simply expressed and proofed right by many years of succes? Go to the shopfloor and ask your employees simple things as e.g. why your customers buy from you and what your business is or should be about. Although the author does not focus on how to build a strategy and covers the aspects of strategy implementation, a good strategy will first of all decide, whether any implementation has a chance for success.
A good strategy gives you answers on:
1.) Who are we and where are we actually (not only internal view) ?
2.) Where do we go ?
3.) Why will we be succesfull ?
Answering this questions will cope with the core question of strategic marketing as positioning and differentiation as well. Implementing any longterm strategy is mainly dedicated to leadership, preliminary people development around core competencies and step by step project management by having easy and consistant measures defined.
There are to many basic statemants in this book and definitions - just common sense. Focus on analysing your current external position and the internal view, the strategy definition and the strategy implementation will be much easier. Change has mostly to do with communication and telling the story as it is, the rest relays on your leadership and how convincing the need for change is. Eliminate the "jerks" and develop the "right" people and your strategy will move forward. The question about the "right" people is linked to change management and leadership, but non of this books will provide you the answer of this question.
Even though softfactors are important, any book about making strategy work should first of all rise a few questions what preliminary answers on important questions need to be on hand?
Best Regards,
Oliver
Superb.......2006-07-31
"Making Strategy" contains tons of topics, case studies, and specific methods to improve the implementation aspect, after planning and, how to make change and then manage the change. Each chapter has several detailed related sub-chapters.
Chapters:
1. Strategy Execution is the Key
2. Overview and Model: Making Strategy Work
3. The Path to Successful Execution: Good Strategy Comes First
4. Organizational Structure and Execution
5. Managing Integration: Effective Coordination
and Information Sharing
6. Incentives and Controls: Supporting and Reinforcing Execution
7. Managing Change
8. Managing Culture and Culture Change
9. Power, Influence, and Execution
10 Summary and Application: Making Mergers and Acquisitions Work
Hrebiniak first notes the education system where minds are molded. MBA programs focus on the formulation of strategy and functional planning: competitive strategy, marketing strategy, financial strategies, and so on. Execution gets little attention. Most managers delegate the implementation of plans to the employers under them. A key point in this book is that planning and execution are interdependent. Execution is a process, and it involves more people than just strategic planning does.
Many factors influencing who and how things get done emanate from the organizational power structure, the leadership climate, style of approach, and centralization vs. decentralization.
Some of the companies and examples listed are Johnson & Johnson, Citibank, South West Airlines, Phillip Morris, 7-up, ABB, GM, Dell, Kraft, and more. Case studies and Hrebiniak's personal experiences add relevant points and examples.
When certain companies such as Microsoft interviews applicants they are generally not concerned with academic achievements (grades) or professional accomplishments but instead focus on how the applicant, if hired, would fit in and jell with the team he/she would be joining. This is called "cultural due diligence." And Hrebiniak emphasizes that within companies culture is not homogeneous. Even moreso when M&As occur. Or, when a company has different and autonomous decentralized Strategic Business Units (SBUs) producing vastly different products in different markets (e.g. Johnson & Johnson).
This is a helpful book on how to do things more efficiently and effectively. One quote I recall from the first page of this book is, "The problem with poor performance typically is not with planning, but with doing." And this goes for about everything. The questionnaire in the back is a survey and is helpful to those who conduct it and those who respond. "Making Strategy Work" is highly recommended.
Does Make Strategy Work!.......2006-07-07
I have been somewhat confused by complicated strategy map like approaches. I love the simplified and common-sense approach to making strategy work presented by Dr. Hrebiniak. One can use it in developing strategy for execution, and improving success rate of strategies from 10%. I plan to use it in making strategies for business intelligence and innovation work!
Probably the best and clearest book on the subject I've read.......2006-02-05
Lawrence Hbrebiniak's "Making Strategy Work" is billed as a comprehensive roadmap and process model for executing strategy. This is absolutely what this book contains. Giving excellent examples from top firms like GE and Dell, the author lists the processes to use in simple to complex business situations where the executive manager can lay out a plan to execute their business strategy.
Executing strategy is by no means easy. This is why good managers get the top bucks. Along the way from plan to accomplishment are a number of difficult roadblocks. Not the least of these is communication. The chapter on coordination and communication follows the chapter on organizational structure. This is not by accident. A proper structure allows the flow of vital information down and up.
First and foremost, however, is having the right strategy in place. A decision to fund a feeble project is not going to have a happy outcome, no matter how efficient the organization and clever the execution. Corporate culture is another important factor, and Professor Hrebiniak doesn't neglect to discuss in a very clear way how a corporate culture must be managed to effect a good strategic plan. If you look at some of the notable failures in the last 10 years in some Fortune 100 firms where change in strategy was vital, not a few of the lapses were due to a failure to assess and manage changes in the prevailing culture. The author links culture and behavior: shared values and norms--"The way we do things"; A common vision /Credo--"How we compete" "How we treat each other"; common goals and incentives-- and "Risk Taking and Innovation." The author points out how mergers and acquisitions are strongly affected by corporate culture and gives models for changing and reinforcing behavior. A start-to-finish case study of a merger/acquisition is included, a tremendous resource.
I cannot think of another book that is more direct and to the point about this subject. This should be on the bookshelf of every manager in every organization, whether for profit or not-for-profit. Absolutely essential reading. Highly recommended.
Joanna Daneman
Unexpectedly Comprehensive .......2006-02-05
The most elaborate corporate strategy is worthless if it can't be implemented. The key to success is not the planning of strategy, but the execution. Dreams are empty without action and results. Agreed?
The problem in today's organization is the inability to implement a disciplined process for making strategy work in the real world. If corporate leaders were able to execute as well as they can plan, tremendous results could be realized. That's the secret. How can it be done? That's the teaching you'll find in this book. You'll learn lessons that will let you enjoy running circles around your competition-while they're still mired in those beautifully-drawn plans that sit proudly on executive desks waiting for someone to do something.
The author does not suggest that the planning and development of strategy is wrong or a waste of time. Quite the contrary; he's all in favor of it and even devotes a chapter of his book to the wisdom and technique of effective strategic planning. Good planning is the foundation of good execution. Attempted execution of a bad plan will also waste resources and increase risks.
Hrebiniak marches through the strategic execution process like Sherman through Georgia. He gives us the big picture, but delivers detail in process explanations and case studies. The reader will quickly grasp that this author has considerable experiences in the trenches of Corporate America, practicing what he preaches.
Importantly, this book includes valuable-and one might argue, essential-content that is not found in similar volumes. It would be easy to stay on point with all the chapters focused on the message and methods of strategy execution. However, other factors influence how successful companies will be. So, Hrebiniak and Wharton bring us bonus chapters on managing change, managing culture and culture change, and another on power, influence, and execution. Capping the book is an application chapter: Making Mergers and Acquisitions Work.
Consider this publication to be more of a textbook than a read-through management book. It will be highly instructive for your first read, then serve as a keep-on-the-shelf reference book for years to come. Learn its lessons, practice them, and you'll be miles ahead of the competition. Not only can you plan, you can actually get the job done!
Book Description
Of organizations that seek strategic change, 70% fail. In Leading Strategic Change,now in paperback, leading consultants J. Stewart Black and Hal B. Gregersen examine the core problem: organizations fail to change because individuals fail to change. Black and Gregersen identify the "brain barriers" that keep strategic change from success--failure to see, failure to move, and failure to finish--and offer a start-to-finish strategy for helping others change how they view their goals and the steps they must take to achieve them. This book systematically shows you how to implement the single change that makes all the others possible: redirecting individuals' ideas and expectations to be aligned with the new direction of the company.
Download Description
Most organizations that seek to change fail. The central reason: employees are relying on obsolete "mental maps" that prevent them from observing changes in their business environment, responding effectively, or following through on changes they've begun.
Customer Reviews:
Informative and actionable guide to engaging your team in change initiatives.......2006-02-21
With a wonderful presentation format and very engaging writing style, this book informs and guides leaders who want to roll out change initiatives in their organizations. Critically, it provides information on the most important steps to take, how to build momentum, and the variety of issues that prevent your desired change from happening. This book will prove most useful when there's a good idea, someone wants to champion it, you (as the leader) want it to happen, and you need to know what to do next.
The only real thing that I'd like to have seen was a few more examples of real-world cases where change failed surprisingly due to not following the steps. Sometimes knowing the smoke signals to look for is important as knowing the success metrics to track.
Narrow Focus.......2003-07-14
Interesting, but the focus on the organization is missing. We should not confuse management development with organization development (or vice versa).
Great book, plus..........2003-06-23
This is a great book. I recommend it in addition to "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler.
Black & Gregersen focus on the management development level. Beitler focuses on the organization development level.
They make a great combo!
Charles "Chuck" Lowell
Good book, plus..........2003-06-17
This is a very good book. I also recommend "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler.
A must read for anyone trying to create lasting change!.......2002-07-19
This book is a refreshing new way to look at leading change. It focuses on the real and often overlooked barriers to change and re-draws our maps of the change process. It gets right at the heart of leading people through change by addressing the fundamental barriers people face when confronted with change. Black and Gregersen provide a model that is simple, practical, and rings true. I use it in my organization change work and I highly recommend it. Any leader trying to lead his/her organization into the future will benefit from reading this book!
Book Description
Explores the practical lessons learned from internationally renowned companies to bring about lasting and fundamental organizational transformation, providing a useful set of field-tested
concepts and techniques for anyone seeking to promote change. In-depth interviews with such key corporate change leaders as Bob Allen of AT&T and Jamie Houghton of Corning, Inc., provide valuable insight and firsthand advice on the role CEOs and leadership teams can play in organizational transformation.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational.......2000-10-25
Introduction In the book Discontinuous Change the authors use anecdotes of prestigious organizations to enhance the understanding of the theoretical and practical ideology concerning organizational change. The authors begin the text by identifying the precursors of organizational change. The precursors are shifts in industry structure, technological innovation, macroeconomic trends and crises, regulatory or legal changes, market and competitive forces and growth. The authors introduce the concept of sustained success as arrogant, insular, and complacent. By remaining in the sustained success idealism, the authors state that the organization will fall into the trap of success which tends to lead to an internal focus; the perception that knowledge, insight, and ideas are found inside the organization rather than outside. Throughout the text, the authors create a clear distinction between incremental and discontinuous change. The authors define incremental change as a continuous pattern of large and small changes that may impact the functioning enterprise in small or large increments. In contrast, discontinuous change is defined as a shocking impact that creates radical departure from the past. Using a variety of models, the authors give the reader a visual picture of the types of change that could occur in an organization. Portrayed in one of the models, the reader will identify the leadership as the "champions and gatekeepers" of the change. By setting the pace, the leaders identify the new corporate identity, the degree to which change needs to happen, the design and organization of the change plan and the interventions needed to keep the plan on course. The authors conclude with discussions concerning the different types of leaders that have been involved with organizational change throughout the years. The authors identified three types of leaders, heroic, instrumental and institutionalized. The authors concluded that the institutionalized leader would be more effective in directing the discontinuous change. Gut Reactions The authors believe that the organizational change should begin with the senior management, by analyzing their "point of view" relative to organizational strategy and policy level. In addition, they also focus on the behavioral dynamics of the organization, believing that the organization is a complex yet active system of human behavior. As practitioners, the authors give valuable insight for contemporary use in organizational change. Citing large organizations, such as, AT&T, Chrysler, and GE as examples, the authors state that the need for change in these organizations came from life-threatening business issues not just questions of organizational work life or corporate climate. In addition, the authors state that the issues that arose in the organizations were generated from external sources, such as, competition, new technology, deregulation, maturation of product sets, changes in ownership, shifts in fundamental market structure, or rapid growth opportunities. Further, the authors state that these changes altered the core of what the organizations represents to its customers and members, not just individual parts or subsystems. Based on the authors insights it has become clear that the days of effortless dominance of large organizations are history. Every organization needs to continue to develop and focus if they are to survive. The authors make it clear that change is inevitable, however, how that change is managed is the key to success. As individuals are resistant to change, so are organizations, however, the risk of an organization resisting change is much greater. The new environments demand that organizations develop speed, innovation, and flexibility, the very opposite of stability. Discontinuous change is a defined analysis of Schein's frame-breaking change in that it is more traumatic, painful and demanding on the organization than incremental change. Big Ideas The changed techniques used in the past are no longer sufficient to manage the complex transitions that are taking place in organizations today. Hence, the authors have determined that there is a need for further development of the old techniques, in order to manage the new types of transitions. Change has out grown the perception of being the exception it has now become the rule. With this perspective in mind, the authors' goal is to transform those things that are practice into theory. The authors are focused on proactive strategic responses to change, rather than, reactive. They offer propositions based on trial-and-error approaches. These propositions create the foundation for diagnoses of the readers current situation. With the understanding that not all leaders are capable of changing, the authors provide a framework to assist in assessing the ability of the current leadership. There are times when it becomes necessary for an organization to invoke change in an effort to avoid complacency. Implications In this era of intense organizational transitions, there is a need for every individual in the organization to adapt to change, beginning with the executives and management. This text speaks of long-term change that will continuously impact an organization over the period of its existence. The types of change needed in organizations are progressing towards frame-breaking, as opposed to historical cosmetic restructuring. Past techniques do not create the immediate turnaround needed to effect change. Therefore, just-in-time interventions are needed to create new behaviors immediately. However, the authors have conceded that often times tried-and-true techniques from decades ago are the most effective, but are often denounced because of the time sensitivity. The authors suggest that there are only two types of change, incremental and discontinuous. Those organizations that will be successful must create core capabilities that are not easily replicated by others. In order for discontinuous change to be effective, organizations must unlearn their old habits, orientations, assumptions, and routines.
Discontinuous Change.......2000-10-22
Introduction In the book Discontinuous Change the authors use anecdotes of prestigious organizations to enhance the understanding of the theoretical and practical ideology concerning organizational change. The authors begin the text by identifying the precursors of organizational change. The precursors are shifts in industry structure, technological innovation, macroeconomic trends and crises, regulatory or legal changes, market and competitive forces and growth. The authors introduce the concept of sustained success as arrogant, insular, and complacent. By remaining in the sustained success idealism, the authors state that the organization will fall into the trap of success which tends to lead to an internal focus; the perception that knowledge, insight, and ideas are found inside the organization rather than outside. Throughout the text, the authors create a clear distinction between incremental and discontinuous change. The authors define incremental change as a continuous pattern of large and small changes that may impact the functioning enterprise in small or large increments. In contrast, discontinuous change is defined as a shocking impact that creates radical departure from the past. Using a variety of models, the authors give the reader a visual picture of the types of change that could occur in an organization. Portrayed in one of the models, the reader will identify the leadership as the "champions and gatekeepers" of the change. By setting the pace, the leaders identify the new corporate identity, the degree to which change needs to happen, the design and organization of the change plan and the interventions needed to keep the plan on course. The authors conclude with discussions concerning the different types of leaders that have been involved with organizational change throughout the years. The authors identified three types of leaders, heroic, instrumental and institutionalized. The authors concluded that the institutionalized leader would be more effective in directing the discontinuous change. Gut Reactions The authors believe that the organizational change should begin with the senior management, by analyzing their "point of view" relative to organizational strategy and policy level. In addition, they also focus on the behavioral dynamics of the organization, believing that the organization is a complex yet active system of human behavior. As practitioners, the authors give valuable insight for contemporary use in organizational change. Citing large organizations, such as, AT&T, Chrysler, and GE as examples, the authors state that the need for change in these organizations came from life-threatening business issues not just questions of organizational work life or corporate climate. In addition, the authors state that the issues that arose in the organizations were generated from external sources, such as, competition, new technology, deregulation, maturation of product sets, changes in ownership, shifts in fundamental market structure, or rapid growth opportunities. Further, the authors state that these changes altered the core of what the organizations represents to its customers and members, not just individual parts or subsystems. Based on the authors insights it has become clear that the days of effortless dominance of large organizations are history. Every organization needs to continue to develop and focus if they are to survive. The authors make it clear that change is inevitable, however, how that change is managed is the key to success. As individuals are resistant to change, so are organizations, however, the risk of an organization resisting change is much greater. The new environments demand that organizations develop speed, innovation, and flexibility, the very opposite of stability. Discontinuous change is a defined analysis of Schein's frame-breaking change in that it is more traumatic, painful and demanding on the organization than incremental change. Big Ideas The changed techniques used in the past are no longer sufficient to manage the complex transitions that are taking place in organizations today. Hence, the authors have determined that there is a need for further development of the old techniques, in order to manage the new types of transitions. Change has out grown the perception of being the exception it has now become the rule. With this perspective in mind, the authors' goal is to transform those things that are practice into theory. The authors are focused on proactive strategic responses to change, rather than, reactive. They offer propositions based on trial-and-error approaches. These propositions create the foundation for diagnoses of the readers current situation. With the understanding that not all leaders are capable of changing, the authors provide a framework to assist in assessing the ability of the current leadership. There are times when it becomes necessary for an organization to invoke change in an effort to avoid complacency. Implications In this era of intense organizational transitions, there is a need for every individual in the organization to adapt to change, beginning with the executives and management. This text speaks of long-term change that will continuously impact an organization over the period of its existence. The types of change needed in organizations are progressing towards frame-breaking, as opposed to historical cosmetic restructuring. Past techniques do not create the immediate turnaround needed to effect change. Therefore, just-in-time interventions are needed to create new behaviors immediately. However, the authors have conceded that often times tried-and-true techniques from decades ago are the most effective, but are often denounced because of the time sensitivity. The authors suggest that there are only two types of change, incremental and discontinuous. Those organizations that will be successful must create core capabilities that are not easily replicated by others. In order for discontinuous change to be effective, organizations must unlearn their old habits, orientations, assumptions, and routines.
"Change 101".......2000-07-04
One of the very best books read for my graduate degree. Nadler and Shaw point out that only those companies able to respond quickly and effectively to changing environmental conditions will survive in the coming decades. Successful firms must learn and act at a faster rate than their competition. Many leaders can affect some change in an organization-but it is normally short lived. But, to make change more long term and make that change take place at a faster rate-you must create destabilizing events in significant scope to get attention-and keep it! There are many take-aways in this book. If you want an outstanding "Leadership 101" book in 276 short pages-this is the one you want.
Enlightening, sometimes dry..........1999-07-07
Have you ever closed a book after finishing the last page and wondered how you might apply all that you've learned from its contents? By the same token, have you ever struggled through a book which you knew had great information and yet its presentation left a dry, chalky feeling in your head?
If not, then this book is for you. I found it to be very enlightening and the book gave clear examples of organizations which either failed to anticipate change or proactively sought to position itself for change. Nadler, et al, break down the stages of change management into readable bites and provide stepping stones of the thought processes that should be involved in change management.
Even better, the authors discuss how the corporate culture is directed by leadership's attitude towards change and covers how to bring about change in spite of internal resistance.
That said, this is tough stuff to dig into for any length of time.
Book Description
Readers of this book will be able to provide effective leadership to transform their school systems in ways that improve student, faculty and staff, and whole-system learning.
Average customer rating:
- Spot Gridlock Problems Before they are out of control
- Common Sense Advice For Moving Your Business Forward
- Overcoming Stalls that Derail Strategic Progress
- Leading the people after the strategy
- How to Prevent It...How to Get Out of It
|
Preventing Strategic Gridlock: Leading Over, Under & Around Organizational Jams to Achieve High Performance Results
Pamela S. Harper
Manufacturer: Cameo Publications, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0971573948 |
Book Description
Advancing Businesses Despite the Economic Terrain
Find out why strategies and initiatives that looked good during planning end up mysteriously snarled in a tangled web of persistent organizational problems ("strategic gridlock") during execution. Preventing Strategic Gridlock shows the reader how to:
· Gain insights into the common but mistaken assumptions leaders often make about their organizations;
· Apply the six principles and guidelines of organizational reality to U.N.L.O.C.K.® their company from the Strategic Gridlock cycle;
· Learn how to achieve the high-performance results that today's high-pressure environment demands.
Customer Reviews:
Spot Gridlock Problems Before they are out of control.......2006-08-26
Reviewed by Juanita Watson for Reader Views (8/06)
Pamela Harper is an internationally know speaker, author, and is the president of Business Advancement, Inc. She has over 20 years of experience as a consultant with companies ranging from small-business to Fortune 500. She is sought out by leaders in the business marketplace to transform their internal strategies and increase performance results.
The first part of "Preventing Strategic Gridlock" Harper reveals and explains seven of the most common hidden roadblocks that stall business growth. She outlines real-life examples of the step-by-step path to the downward slide giving readers a cut-and-dry visual of how this happens.
Part Two of "Preventing Strategic Gridlock" details Harper's six-step process for reducing the gridlock and enabling leaders to more smoothly integrate execution with strategic thinking and planning. Harper discovered these six principles and guidelines during her research and consulting experiences and research, and has formed U.N.L.O.C.K. to `unlock' performance.
Pamela Harper guides businesses to re-evaluate their strategies and enables leaders to run a more effective and efficient organization. Bottom line - Every business leader would benefit from having "Preventing Strategic Gridlock" on their resource shelf. It is educational, consistent, and proven effective, and will help leaders spot gridlock problems before they get out of control.
Common Sense Advice For Moving Your Business Forward.......2006-05-18
The other day, I came across a very interesting book called Preventing Strategic Gridlock, by Pamela Harper. Ms. Harper is the President of Business Advancement Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders transform strategy into high performance results. Check out the link to the article entitled The Key to Aligning Strategy with Execution on her website.
I really like Preventing Strategic Gridlock.
Ms. Harper begins her book be describing what she calls the Seven Hidden Roadblocks that come about because leaders have mistaken assumptions about their organizations' reality.
The Seven Hidden Roadblocks are:
1. One size fits all -- The tendency to adopt previously successful solutions without regard to whether they can work in your organization now.
2. Management by lobotomy -- The tendency to rely on organizational "surgery (layoffs, reorganizations, budge cuts) to solve persistent organizational problems.
3. Act now, think later -- The tendency to assume that you have enough information to select strategies and intiatives to meet your organization's real needs.
4. Magic of the marquee -- The tendency to expect the organization to instantly accept change.
5. Roller coaster -- The tendency to assume that introducing a rapid series of new strategies and initiatives will move the organization forward.
6. Tin ear -- The tendency to preceive only one "tone" of reality.
7. Lighthouse -- The tendency to "stay the course" despite clear cut danger signs.
Ms. Harper goes on to explain how to U.N.L.O.C.K. strategic gridlock
* U -- Understand the full challenge
* N -- Negotiate key stakeholder buy in
* L -- Locate cultural 'advancers and 'blockers"
* O -- Organize priorities, goals and action plans
* C -- Communicate credibly
* K -- Keep adjusting
I won't go into more detail here. You'll have to read the book yourself. However I believe that any leader who wants to move his or her organization forward will benefit from reading and applying the concepts in Preventing Strategic Gridlock.
Overcoming Stalls that Derail Strategic Progress.......2004-08-12
Several studies of strategic management have found that around 70 percent of all new strategies fail. The main culprit is that they are not effectively executed. In many cases, the strategies would have been all but impossible to execute because the organization was overburdened with other challenges, did not have the resources in place and poorly communicated what was to be done.
Preventing Strategic Gridlock aims at overcoming those problems by both selecting more appropriate strategies to implement and avoiding the common pitfalls of execution for strategies that could be executed well by an organization.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part looks at the main causes of strategic gridlock (assuming anyone can execute any strategy any way they want, continuing to restructure and streamline to address strategic and implementation issues, being too quick and not considered enough in reacting to new problems, thinking that everyone knows what to do if you just announce a new program, switching to the flavor of the week fix so that everyone is confused and dispirited, not listening to what's not working, and not considering immovable obstacles to progress).
I loved that section. It reminded me of the first part of the book I co-authored The 2,000 Percent Solution, in which we looked at the stalls to organizational progress. These hidden roadblocks are illustrated with very funny cartoons that make the point very clear, good examples that you will understand, underlying beliefs that can get you into trouble, how to uncover the problem, a check list to help you see how bad the problem is in your organization, and a list of questions and answers to issues that you will probably be concerned about.
In the second part, Ms. Harper describes a six-step process organized around the acronym UNLOCK. This process encourages you to understand the full nature of the challenge you face, negotiating the enthusiastic participation of those who need to implement the new direction, considering how your culture can help or hurt in the change, organizing to get the work done, communicating in ways that make sense and to keep adjusting in response to what you run into.
I thought that the process was not quite sufficiently detailed for what most people will need to follow this advice. That was the only significant weakness in the book. But the second part does a fine job of raising the right issues.
Again, I was struck by the parallel to The 2,000 Percent Solution where we describe an eight-step process to make progress in our second part.
After sleeping on my reaction to the book, I feel like Ms. Harper has produced a 2,000 percent solution for overcoming the problems of making strategic change. Nice stallbusting, Ms. Harper!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about developing or implementing a new strategy.
Leading the people after the strategy.......2003-11-21
Pam Harper's does a great service to the pervasive, male-dominated (and I'm a male) culture of business leadership that thinks strategy only involves "making the numbers". In an engaging style, she uses the first half of her book to describe 7 common, but hidden roadblocks that companies can easily hit when they are tried to implement strategic growth through changing elements of their business. I like the chapter on "Tin Ear", where management has a tendency to tune out the opinions and concerns of others. The company may have an open door policy, quality circles, and a suggestion program (with cash rewards!) but may miss the more obvious daily chatter from employees, customers and other stakeholders that are providing valuable feedback.
The second half of the the book presents the author's UNLOCK methodology for addressing strategic gridlock. It contains 6 steps, with steps 2 and 3 (Understand the Full Challenge and Negociate Key Stakeholder Buy-in) as highlights. The focus on seeing the complete job to be done helps get the timeframe and effort to be more realistic, and the buy-in step focuses on how to play both offense and defense as you are communicating and implementing important changes.
Having your management team familar with these concepts will allow you to sense and discuss when you may be hitting roadblocks or not doing all the work to unlock your organizations full potential.
Highly reccomended read before you set off on your next strategic change journey.
How to Prevent It...How to Get Out of It.......2003-10-21
Obviously, it is highly advisable to identify and then eliminate potential problems before they occur. That is as true in business as it is in healthcare, athletic competition, and international travel. What we have here is a solid, well-organized, and well-written guide to preventing strategic gridlock. First, Harper carefully examines seven of the usual suspects which can cause it. Next, she introduces what she calls U.N.L.O.C.K., a system based on six principles by which to avoid or eliminate them. Finally, she shifts her reader's attention to countless real-world examples.
Obviously, an inappropriate strategy almost invariably results in conflict, confusion, acrimony, perhaps operational gridlock, and worse yet, chaos. Moreover, Harper fully understands that even a fundamentally sound strategy can fail because of internal resistance by those whom Jim O'Toole describes as being captive to "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." Or that strategy can become less effective or even ineffective because of market forces over which the organization has little (if any) conrol. Harper has absolutely no illusions about the complexity of these and other issues. She could easily have identified 14 or even 21 "roadblocks." Her U.N.L.O.C.K. system could have been based on 10 or even 15 principles. That's not the point. Rather, when crafting a strategy, decision-makers in any organization (regardless of size or nature) should identify and then prepare for what they perceive to be the potentially most formidable roadblocks to that strategy's success. (FYI, my personal preference is to view strategies as "hammers" and tactics as "nails.") Everyone must understand and support the strategy. What amounts to an "early warning system" is needed and everyone at least directly involved with the strategy and its tactics must be especially alert during the strategy's initial implementation.
Although I encountered no "cutting edge thinking" in Harper's book, I hold it in high regard because it fully serves the needs of decision-makers who need (perhaps urgently) a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective system by which to avoid or extricate their organizations from strategic gridlock. Another major benefit of having an "early warning system" is that if the strategy is a dud, that will soon be obvious and Harper's book can assist with whatever adjustments may be necessary.
Those who share my interest in how and why even major corporations such as Ford, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's make bad strategic decisions, I urge them to check out Matt Haig's recently published Bad Brands.
Average customer rating:
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Champions of change: A global report on leading business transformation
Douglas A Ready
Manufacturer: Gemini Consulting
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
| Business Ethics
| Consolidation & Merger
| Decision-Making & Problem Solving
| Distribution & Warehouse Management
| Industrial
| Information Management
| Leadership
| Management
| Management Science
| Motivational
| Negotiating
| Operations Research
| Planning & Forecasting
| Pricing
| Production & Operations
| Project Management
| Quality Control
| Risk Assessment
| Statistics
| Strategy & Competition
| Systems & Planning
| Systems Analysis
| Teams
| Total Quality Management
| Training
Organizational Change
| Organizational Behavior
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B0006QH2I6 |
Average customer rating:
- Very poorly written
- It's a page-turner; it's a business book: It's both
- A Tale of Two Cultures, indeed!
- It's a page-turner; it's a business book: It's both.
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Leading at the Speed of Change: Using New Economy Rules to Transform Old Economy Companies
Bill Capodagli , and
Lynn Jackson
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Strategy & Competition
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Leadership
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| E-commerce
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Internet
| Home Computing
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
| Internet & Education
| Online Searching
| Web Browsers
| Web for Kids
ASIN: 007137079X |
Book Description
Energize a traditional bricks-and-mortar company with lightning-fast e-business spirit -- and results
Traditional brick-and-mortar companies' competitive survival in the New Economy depends on learning how to think, act, and perform like the most agile of today's light-speed, dotcom enterprises. Leading at the Speed of Change shows the way. Based on extensive interviews with key players, this book takes you behind the scenes to describe how one global giant, AT&T, has risen to the challenge.You'll learn how AT&T Solutions, under the direction of entrepreneurial superstar Rick Rocsitt, grew from a dream to a $5 billion enterprise in less than five years.
A road map through today's exciting e-business revolution, this challenging, compelling landmark book serves up a template old-line companies can use to rethink, redesign, and reengineer their design processes, factory floors, supply chains, and distribution channels --and meet the changing demands and opportunities of the new Internet economy. Don't miss this guide's powerful lessons on how to infuse any organization with the spirit, creativity, swiftness, and growth of the best dotcom companies.
Download Description
Traditional brick-and-mortar companies are waking up to the fact that competitive survival in the New Economy depends on learning how to think and act like today's most successful dotcom enterprises. Now this important new book from the authors of the bestseller The Disney Way shows them how. Based on extensive interviews with key players at AT&T, including CEO Michael Armstrong, and heir apparent Rick Rocsitt, Leading at DotCom Speed takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most sensational success stories of recent years to describe how one global giant, AT&T, has risen to the challenge. It explains exactly how AT&T Solutions, under the direction of entrepreneurial superstar Rick Rocsitt, grew from a dream to a $5 billion enterprise in less than five years. Offering powerful lessons on how to infuse any organization with the spirit, creativity, swiftness, and growth of a dotcom company, Leading at DotCom Speed is must reading for CEOs, executives, and managers at companies in all industry sectors.
Customer Reviews:
Very poorly written.......2004-11-21
I decided to purchase this book because I was interested in the story of AT&T solutions. I read it cover to cover because of my interest, but the poor writing and corny side-story made it quite painful. The authors should have never used that ridiculous airplane flight as a stage for the book. Unless you have a specific interest in AT&T solutions then I wouldn't suggest purchasing this book.
It's a page-turner; it's a business book: It's both.......2001-06-04
Enjoy this book. Be gripped by it. Learn from it. I did all three. LEADING AT THE SPEED OF CHANGE is a different kind of business book: it almost reads like a novel. It's a riveting tale of vision, courage, and perseverance, with action guides after each chapter to nail the main points and help you be the hero of your own business story. Authors Capodagli and Jackson cheer Rick Roscitt and his maverick AT&T Solutions team as they Dream, Believe, Dare, and Do their way to phenomenal start-up success. AT&T CEO Mike Armstrong is praised for blessing and nourishing the breakaway unit, and he is also fairly and frankly assessed for re-shaping the corporation into a global communications one-stop shop, and then recently dividing it into four parts. Throughout, Capodagli and Jackson are passionate but clear-eyed observers, and masterful teachers, too. This will be no surprise to readers of their previous books THE DISNEY WAY and THE DISNEY WAY FIELDBOOK which established their business-as-show business approach. In the close, overstuffed warehouse of business books today, Capodagli and Jackson are a welcome and invigorating breath of fresh air.
A Tale of Two Cultures, indeed!.......2001-05-25
In Leading at the Speed of Change, Capodagli and Jackson combine artful storytelling with hard hitting facts about AT&T and its prize division, AT&T Solutions. The book begins with a flashback to 1993, where AT&T vet Rick Roscitt had a profound vision. And from this creative burst of business energy he, and a team of 12, pioneered Solutions into a model that can potentially alter the way things are done throughout all of AT&T. In a time where AT&T bashing is the norm, it was refreshing to read this book and find a bright spot. But don't think that Capodagli and Jackson were blind to what was happening just down the road. In fact, they pay considerable attention to the impending break up, and what CEO Michael Armstrong and AT&T could have possibly done to avoid this fiasco. In this chapter, I also found that it served as a wake-up call to any business. A small organization can falter as well (or perhaps more easily) from the same mistakes made by this telecommunications behemoth. Capodagli and Jackson rely on their management consulting background to provide criticism as well as prescriptive advice, breaking things down into eight simple, but essential, categories: Vision, Values, Alliances, Acculturation, Predictable Problems, Failing Forward Fast, Quintessential Teams, and Customer Intimacy. For those of you unhappy with the status quo, from the corporate CEO to the small business owner, Leading at the Speed of Change is a must read.
It's a page-turner; it's a business book: It's both........2001-05-17
Read this book. Enjoy it. Be gripped by it. Learn from it. I did all three. LEADING AT THE SPEED OF CHANGE is a different kind of business book: it almost reads like a novel. It's a riveting tale of vision, courage, and perseverence, with action guides after each chapter to nail the main points and help you be the hero of your own business story.
Authors Capodagli and Jackson cheer Rick Roscitt and his maverick AT&T Solutions team as they Dream, Believe, Dare, and Do their way to phenomenal start-up success. AT&T CEO Mike Armstrong is praised for blessing and nourishing the breakaway unit, and he is also fairly and frankly assessed for re-shaping the corporation into a global communications one-stop shop, and then recently dividing it into four parts. Throughout, Capodagli and Jackson are passionate but clear-eyed observers, and masterful teachers, too. This will be no surprise to readers of their previous books THE DISNEY WAY and THE DISNEY WAY FIELDBOOK which established their business-as-show business approach. In the close, overstuffed warehouse of business books today, Capodagli and Jackson are a welcome and invigorating breath of fresh air.
Book Description
If school districts want to sustain improvements that have been achieved during this period of district transformation, district leaders need to align their district, both vertically and horizontally. Alignment assures that the work of individuals supports their team goals, the work of teams supports their school's goals, the work of schools supports their clusters, and the work of clusters supports the district's strategic direction. This groudbreaking work presents qualitative information about the nature of strategic alignment in school systems and how to create and sustain it.
Books:
- Logistics & Supply Chain Management: creating value-adding networks (3rd Edition) (Financial Times Series)
- Management of Human Service Programs
- Marketing Channels (7th Edition) (Prentice Hall International Series in Marketing)
- Measuring Performance in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (The Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series)
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Milady's Standard: Fundamentals for Estheticians
- More Than 85 Broads: Women Making Career Choices, Taking Risks, and Defining Success - On Their Own Terms
- Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook
- Occupational Health and Safety Management: A Practical Approach
- Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations (Student Text)
Books Index
Books Home
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The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations
Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions
Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change
The Heart of Change Field Guide: Tools and Tactics for Leading Change in Your Organization
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
