The Human Side of Change: A Practical Guide to Organization Redesign (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) [Hardcover]

Timothy J. Galpin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jossey-Bass Business & Management | Publication Date: March 14, 1996

Even the most carefully planned organizational changes can fail if individuals are not taken into consideration. The Human Side of Change is a step-by-step action plan for the change process that takes full advantage of an organization's greatest resource: its people. From planning to implementation to behavior change, Timothy J. Galpin shows how a well-orchestrated approach--one that pays attention to the soft side
aspects of the process--can make the difference between change for the better and no change at all.

Drawing on a decade of consulting experience with businesses and governments around the world, Timothy J. Galpin outlines a nine-step process for effectively combining the human and technical sides of change for successful mergers, downsizing, and restructuring. The Human Side of Change offers managers, frontline supervisors and human resource professionals valuable tools, techniques, and examples to help them gain support for change at all levels of an organization. With numerous charts, graphs, and a glossary of change-management terms, this book is both an ideal blueprint and an accessible quick reference for the implementation of stable and sustained transformation.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Eighteen hundred books and articles, issued in a little more than one year, attest to the popularity of the monosyllabic term change. Consultant Galpin's words to the wise could be lumped into the ever-growing mountain of print dedicated to this topic, but he concentrates instead on the "soft side," the human element. What are the ways to get management to buy into this process? How about the grass roots--the frontline employees and their supervisors? How best to act like a coach? What are the parameters for effective goal setting? These questions and others are answered in a series of chapters designed not to focus on the nine-stage change process but on the behaviors needed to effect those changes: forming teams, developing leadership, measuring performance, providing feedback, and so on. Each in turn zeroes in on different guidelines; coaches, for instance, need to adopt a noncritical, positive, and empathic approach. A refreshing read. Barbara Jacobs

Review

"Managing the human factor will be the next real competitive advantage. Tim Galpin provides a practical, useful guide that should be required reading for all engaged in organizational change." (Tenia A. Modic, principal, Western Investments Company)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (March 14, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787902160
• ISBN-13: 978-0787902162
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.8 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,342,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pithy, Practical Guide to Mapping Change, June 29, 2001

By 

Colleen Davenport - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Human Side of Change: A Practical Guide to Organization Redesign (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) (Hardcover)

This book is short and to the point. Proceding from the perception of a need to change, it directs the reader through myriads of questions and processes to be able to direct an organization through change.

Galpin points out repeatedly that change is a process that takes a period of time to institute. The model of change proposed is a nine spoked wheel outlining clearly the organizational steps required to proceed through the process. Appendix A and B are lists of questions that need to be addressed in this steps of the change process.

Most useful are the eight topics relevant to change. There is a chapter devoted to each topic. The topics are teams, communications, culture, leadership, goal setting, performance measurement, coaching and rewards.

One of the most important concepts in this book is related to the idea that change cannot occur without changing the culture of the organization. Ten areas of organizational culture are identified. The change agent is encouraged to analyze each area of the culture and change all possible relevant aspects of the culture in order to support the proposed change.

Communication is also stressed. In order to involve all the organizational players, there needs to be communication to and from each person. Ongoing methods of distribution of information and acquiring feedback need to be implemented. It is not enough to passively submit to listening to feedback. Specific feedback needs to be sought.

This reviewer appreciated the pithy, pointed format of this book. Other individuals who have also read this book, told this reviewer that they think this book should be required reading for the healthcare industry. However, the book invites further discovery in the topic of change.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A resource tool for managing a changing environment, September 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Human Side of Change: A Practical Guide to Organization Redesign (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) (Hardcover)

Over all, "The Human Side of Change" is an excellent resource tool in helping managers deal with a changing environment in the workplace. The author does a good job at identifying key issues that will assist you in improving your management/leadership skills. I think that every person in a leadership position, whether it be lower level, middle, or upper management, should take the time to utilize this book. I believe that overall it will improve your job performance, in your own eyes, and in the eyes of your employee's.

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Text on Change, March 2, 2011

By 

Dorian L. Lennon "Dedicated to Reading Books" (Kingston, JAMAICA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Human Side of Change: A Practical Guide to Organization Redesign (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) (Hardcover)

Every person working or studying should own this text. An excellent guide on managing the people side of change in an organization.