From the Inside Flap
"Calling on expertise and insight honed by years of top-tier management consulting and thought leadership, (Kahan) writes with warm savvy and a rare technical expertise that informs leaders on how they can strategically and logistically enact change the first time around." -from the Foreword by Bill George
Change doesn't flow top down, bottom up, or sideways, but inside out. Real change happens only when people want it to happen, when they feel engaged. Without engagement, you are left with two alternatives: force and failure.
In Getting Change Right, Seth Kahan challenges you to approach change in a whole new way. Based on years of experience with organizations around the world, Kahan presents a new model of leadership communication-one that moves from top-down dictums to the collaborative construction of shared understanding.
Filled with techniques, templates, and guidelines, Getting Change Right is, first and foremost, a practitioner's guide to implementing change. Presenting a critical shift from the old mind-set of coming up with a good idea and then pushing it through with mandates, Kahan shows how the way to successful, authentic change is through engagement-the need to connect to people, to listen as much as to share ideas, and to involve as many key people as possible in the realization of their goals. When the right people are having the right conversations and interactions, they act in concert, even when the situations they confront are unpredictable.
This hands-on guide offers sample dialogues, questions, assessments, and all-new "Expert Input" from leading change authorities John Kotter, Stephen Denning, and James Wolfensohn, among others.
Getting Change Right goes beyond mere suppositions and hypotheses. It offers business insights and field-tested, practical techniques that you can put to work immediately. This is your guidebook to making change happen in any organization.
From the Back Cover
Praise for Getting Change Right
"What an exciting read! Every page explodes with cutting-edge ideas, practical advice, and the wisdom of experience. Today, so many speak about fear of our rapidly changing conditions. However, as Seth Kahan convincingly demonstrates, by harnessing the power of collaborative relationships, positive transformation is possible everywhere. And he shows us the way!" -Kenneth J. Gergen, president, the Taos Institute and author, Relational Being
"Organizations recognize the need for change and the relative speed and accuracy that is required for effective execution. The challenge is 'how' to do it. People are the secret ingredient and Seth Kahan clearly offers the path to get you there. This is a must-read 'NOW' for any leader or organization looking to make bold moves in order to stay competitive." -George A. Castineiras, senior vice president, Prudential Financial, Inc.
"Break through the standard paraphernalia of most change programs-budgets, mandates, plans, PowerPoint, top-down directives, and roll-out. Getting Change Right reveals how big change happens fast by engaging with people and creating conversations that cascade through the organization, igniting widespread energy and enthusiasm." -Stephen Denning, author, The Leader's Guide to Storytelling and The SecretLanguage of Leadership
"In Getting Change Right, Seth Kahn provides practical advice supported by real-life examples that every leader can use to lead effective change. Seth emphasizes that people, their diverse viewpoints, and their relationships and connections are the real keys to successful change. All leaders transforming their industries and professions can benefit from keeping these important tenets in mind." -Chris McEntee, CEO, American Institute of Architects
"Seth Kahan delivers that rare blend of wisdom and practicality in an engaging and entertaining read that is at once both blueprint and playbook. If Getting Change Right isn't in your arsenal, odds are you'll get change wrong." -Matthew E. May, author, In Pursuit of Elegance and The Elegant Solution
