10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When "change drivers" hit your NPO, give this book a look., October 19, 2006
This review is from: Breakthrough Thinking for Nonprofit Organizations: Creative Strategies for Extraordinary Results (Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series) (Hardcover)
Good book. I liked it! It was easy to read. Each chapter had a summary section so I could read the summaries before tackling the book as a whole. If you are managing a not-for-profit, or sitting as a board member to a nonprofit, and you believe your nonprofit could be doing things better, then consider getting a copy of this book and give it a read.
Back in July I read and reviewed "Managing Business Change for Dummies," by Beth Evard (ISBN: 0764553321), which focused on how managers successfully deal with employees who resist change in an organization. This book on the other hand focuses on how YOU, the manager, must deal with YOUR resistance to change so you can improve your organization's performance in the process.
The author lists nine "change drivers:"
1. New Mission or Vision
2. Speed of Business
3. Cost Reduction
4. Service Failure
5. New Technology
6. Change in Public Perception
7. Change in Priorities
8. Competition for Funds and Resources
9. Change in Technology
When your organization is hit by one or more of the above events you are going to have to implement change at your organization. This book provides examples of best practices as to how to do this. Also, the authors include exercises from their workshops on this subject. Both the best practices and exercises are very helpful to help us grasp what the authors are talking about.
If you are like me you can examine the Table of Contents for this book online and after doing so you will probably say: Wow, what is this book really about. The chapter titles are kind of weak is what I'm really trying to say. It's the chapter summaries, best practices examples, and exercises that make the book a worthwhile investment of your time.
I would have liked the book much better if the authors had organized it so it did not feel like just another book put together by a management consulting group. Yeah, it felt like one of "those" to me. And after you read 2 of them, they all start to sound the same. But since this book is informative, well written, and not too long I'm inclined to give it 5 stars.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book should be on the best seller list for charities, December 31, 2002
This review is from: Breakthrough Thinking for Nonprofit Organizations: Creative Strategies for Extraordinary Results (Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series) (Hardcover)
I wish that two decades ago when I was leading the initiative to establish the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy there had been a book available like Breakthrough Thinking. It would have been helpful in shortening the gestation period. Some of our clients have already benefited from our application of tools described by Ross and Segal, particularly regarding fundraising
Ross/Segal are well qualified to address Breakthrough. The book benefits from their experience in working with charities in the United States, Europe, Canada, Africa and South America through their UK based Management Centre. The book is peppered with examples of the application of the tools they discuss by named organizations on different continents. They even have the refreshing temerity to identify failures.
Ross's presentations in North America have led to recognition of what Europeans and others already know - he is one of a handful of truly outstanding international thinkers and presenters in the charity field. Participant evaluations testify to the fact that Ross's seminars/workshops are both brilliant and entertaining. Neither of these characteristics are lost in the book.
Ross/Segal are very effective at adapting new business management theories and tools for use by the charitable sector. To give but one example, using the metaphor of the "Wild West" they identify the seven character roles required to successfully implement change. Acknowledging this to be a modification of management consultant Rennie Fritchie's five roles they identify the attributes required by the pioneer, wagon train leader, scout, sheriff, homesteader, medicine man or woman, hired gun. This greatly facilitates the reader's understanding and remembering the special requirements for each of these roles to achieve a successful "breakthrough journey." As they point out, "the roles idea is simply a metaphor to help cluster the skills, competencies, knowledge, and qualities needed."
In their preface Ross/Segal state that their mission in writing the book was "to inspire managers and board members in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to believe they can achieve extraordinary results, and to give them practical strategies and techniques for achieving such results."
Ross /Segal do indeed deliver on the mission. They provide us with a toolbox of approaches and ideas to achieve "extraordinary results." As they point out - a toolbox provides a variety of tools for tasks and some are easier to use than others. We get better with our usage of them!
It is difficult to imagine a CEO, Board member, fundraiser, consultant and others desiring significant increased or dramatic new goals for their organization, in whatever area, who would not gain from applying some of the very practical and tested tools described in the book.
My business partner has found mindmapping an invaluable tool for working with groups to help them organize their thinking, let alone her own. One of my many favourites from the book is how to get rid of creativity and innovation killers. Maybe you want to foster greater innovation and creativity in your organization; fight "the tyranny of incrementalism" and establish new breakthrough goals; put in place an organization that makes sustained breakthroughs; ensure that the necessary people are on board to support your breakthrough idea - you will find the tools for each of these and many others in the book.
While Ross/Segal state that they are not seeking to provide, "a step by step, how to guide to achieving breakthrough," it is difficult to imagine there could be a better guide to helping your organization "breakthrough."
Already in high demand as presenters internationally Ross/Segal should expect to have to pack their bags more often as a result of this groundbreaking book.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breakthrough thinking made easy, February 6, 2003
This review is from: Breakthrough Thinking for Nonprofit Organizations: Creative Strategies for Extraordinary Results (Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Management Series) (Hardcover)
This is an excellent read - it's a combination of textbook, manual, map and story book. It describes the route to exceptional organisational and personal peformance in a way which makes it possible for all of us.
It's written in a particularly readable style. Each chapter is self-sufficient so it's easy to pick up and put down. Theories are illustrated visually with diagrams and tables, supplemented by case studies drawn from the authors' work around the world. This gives the text a sense of recency and freshness that adds to its accessibility.
Best of all Breakthrough Thinking explodes myths about creativity making it something that we can all achieve. All we have to do is open our minds and just do it.
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