Change is Like a Slinky [Paperback]

Hans Finzel (Author)

Book Description

Series: World's Easiest Pocket Guide | Publication Date: January 1, 2004

A practical guide to navigate change in today's organizational climateChange or perish. This is a current motto for leaders in all types of organizations. But how does one adapt to such fast and furious change and effectively lead the organization through change intact and more effective? Hans Finzel provides a proven strategy in Change is Like a Slinky, exploring the six major phases in the cycle of change. As he says, 'Change is a lot like a Slinky...A slinky can be a lot of fun, but it is also completely unpredictable.' Instead of grudgingly wading through inevitable change, readers will find themselves equipped and fired up to tackle it head on.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Northfield Publishing (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881273687
• ISBN-13: 978-1881273684
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #751,554 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Hans Finzel is a successful author, consultant, and expert in the field of leadership. He is also the full time President and CEO of WorldVenture (Littleton, CO), an international leadership development ministry with a staff of 600 workers in 70 countries worldwide. Hans and his wife Donna spent ten years living in Vienna, Austria while training leaders throughout Eastern Europe behind the Iron Curtain before the fall of communism. Dr. Finzel and his wife Donna have four children and four grandchildren and reside in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Immensely Practical...Potentially Invaluable, February 19, 2004

By 

Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Change is Like a Slinky (Paperback)

Frankly, until reading this book, I was unaware of any similarities between change and a toy which I have purchased in substantial quantities for my own children and grandchildren as well as for countless others. In fact, as Finzel points out, there are quite a few similarities between them but it would be a disservice to both Finzel and to his book to reveal those similarities in this brief commentary. (Please see page 19.) It would also be a disservice to suggest that Finzel's clever use of the Slinky as a metaphor is essentially all that his book offers. On the contrary, he provides a remarkably eloquent as well as informative analysis of the nature of change itself and the most common barriers, then suggests specific strategies and tactics which can help to overcome those barriers.

I especially appreciate Finzel's use of two devices by which to help his reader absorb and digest the material, then take appropriate action: "What's the Point?" which summarizes the most important points in each of the 30 chapters, and, "Takeaways" (also at the end of each chapter) which assists effective implementation by the reader of those points. Finzel sees the change process as consisting of several phases. For example:

Phase One: Accept the Need for Change

"Hugely successful and always profitable Southwest Airlines prides itself on three company characteristics: [all in italics] nimble, quick, and opportunistic...Whenever possible, Southwest flies in the face of bureaucracy -- it stays lean, thinks small, keeps it simple...and more."

Phase Three: Anticipate Your Adversaries and Allies

"Forget about the `obvious' benefits when planning your strategy. Assume that everyone but you will absolutely hate your plan, at least initially...When we listen to our opponents, we can learn two things. First, we can recognize the flaws in our ideas...The second thing we learn from resisters is the hidden psychological barriers we have to overcome among members of the group."

Phase Six: Align Your Team as You Stay the Course of Change

"Trust is a nonnegotiable in the world of change. Kill trust and there is no hope for progress until you get it back. Change usually breeds doubt and lack of trust among people in an organization. Without a conscious effort to build trust and maintain trust, all your efforts will fail."

What we have here is immensely practical advice for those who are determined to achieve not only specific change(s) but also to establish and then nourish an organizational environment within which everyone involved recognizes and then reacts effectively to change, seeing it not as a peril but as an opportunity.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Level 5 Leadership, February 16, 2004

By 

Daniel R. Mitchell (Richmond, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Change is Like a Slinky (Paperback)

Collins, in his book Good to Great, argues that only those organizations that had "Level 5" leaders made the change from good to great. Granted, there were a bunch of other variables that had to exist to make the final cut of those companies that went from good to great, but they all had Level 5 leaders.

Finzel's latest book addresses those leaders who want to be Level 5 leaders. One of the traitis that Collins' team discovered was the idea of "servant" leadership. This notion, not surprisinlgy, is a biblical concept that goes to to the heartbeat of who a leaders really is. This is not something taught in MBA school. The MBA schools have produced crook after crook; they have not seriously addressed (except in only a cursory way) servant leadership.

Finzel's book paints the picture of what a servant-leader looks like. No organization can tranistion from good to great without key leaders demonstrating & promoting servant-leadership. Period.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterfully Done, January 19, 2004

By 

Michael McVey--Fellowship Baptist church (Garden City, KS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Change is Like a Slinky (Paperback)

Finzel does a suberb job of putting together in one volume the dynamics necessary to facilitate change in any orgainization. Using the illustration of the slinky he masterfully illustrates in six stages how to move your organization forward without destroying it. A must read if you a seeking to lead your organization, profit or non-profit through lasting change.