Customer Reviews

Leading at the Edge of Chaos: How to Create the Nimble Organization

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The consideration of the human component of the organization should not be overlooked- nor it's importance be minimized. Anyone who has ever tried to lead the unwilling or otherwise disinterested can appreciate the value of the Human Due Diligence model. Recent focus on employee satisfaction polling and scores underline today's concern with the "happy" employee, assuming that he/she is also the more complient, resilient and productive one. This book is a melding of how humans function in transition and organizational change. It provides a formula and certainly a novel slant to a topic much written about. Daryl Connor has taken concern for employee's feelings about their work environment directly to the heads of corporations and their boards. He creates a replicable framework on which to build an organization that can recognize, adapt to, and recover from change faster than it's competition.

Daryl R. Conner's book operates under the assumption that the future of business will be steeped in chaos. Thus, it tries to prepare the leaders of the future for the kinds of challenges that result from chaos. These challenges will primarily involve employees, since every person reacts differently and usually unfavorably, to change. The companies that marshal an agile workforce and adapt quickly to unexpected circumstances will do the best in this unstable environment. This thoroughly researched book gives leaders a decisive look at what happens when the human psyche tries to navigate change. Conner documents the problems people have when they deal with change and offers a disciplined strategy for making your organization more limber. Even if you've heard many of the key concepts presented before, as you navigate the waters of change, this calm, lucid manual will keep your hands steady at the helm. Therefore, we [...] recommend it to everyone who is confronting change, and that is everyone.

I gave this book four stars, because it's heavy on theory at the expense of examples. If that is what you are specifically looking for, then definitely purchase this book.

Conner has done a fantastic job of laying out pieces of change management. The tables he uses are excellent summaries of the chapter and make for easy reference for anyone who is attempting to keep key take-aways nearby. It is also fantastic for those that are doing seminars and would like ideas or ready-made visuals to help guide discussion. I especially found the chart on P. 290 that goes through the different stages a person could be in as they experience change. It really helps to explain why and where people get stuck and how they can pursue personal improvement and growth.

The reason I couldn't give it absolute full marks, though is that you get the impression that Conner has significant experience, but is sharing with you the culled knowledge only. Perhaps he can not share too much given client relationships. However, I feel like the book at times reads too dry because the personal stories, successes and failures are left out. I would have preferred more illustrative examples. Particularly with people issues, which the book drills on, knowing what some people do that is wrong and contrasting this with the correct way to do it is key.

He gives a couple of fantastic examples of a phone conversation of someone who is stuck at the Antabuse stage would say. (i.e. chance meeting vs. proactive approach). I would have loved lots more of these. Clearly the guy is an expert though.

Conner notes that the lion's share of attention to organizational change goes to the process of deciding on what needs to change and the steps to take; the bottom line is the execution of change. Here is where leadership faces its real challenge which specifically comes down to people. Leading the human organization in a continuously changing world is at the heart of the book. Leaders must learn to keep in a dynamic zone in which the adaptive capacity of people can be enlarged providing an agile organization. Conner stresses the importance of people as central to change and introduces such good ideas as Human Due Diligence...an investigating of the people side of the organization before taking change initiatives.

The integration of organizational change, leadership and human beings is so crucial that it is a wonder why decision makers so commonly place the human element in second place when formulating strategy, organization design, and initiating organizational transformation. Perhaps this work will help some CEO's and other top executives to get a clearer focus on the reality of their enterprises and the real challenge of leading change. A great book-give a copy to your CEO! And if you are a CEO, give a copy to the members of your executive team.

Conner is author of the bestselling Managing at the Speed of Change. In this new book, he continues along the path of resilience, and adds in a new concept called "human due diligence." He has carefully examined not only the propensity for change, but the human capacity for it, and his new book reveals important new directions in change management, based on years of extensive research and observation. A must-read for leaders, marketers, and strategists. Copyright 1998 by Michael Pellecchia. Recommended by www.moneyblows.com END

Change and transition have become the norm for most organizations today. Change is difficult, unpredictable and demanding, and can threaten a company's success. In order to cope with change, your organization and its people must be able to balance between the familiar and the unfamiliar. You must be able to absorb as much change as possible without slipping into chaos. In order to do this, you must take steps to make your organization and its employees more nimble. The author provides the following advice for companies to become more flexible in an environment of constant change:

· Learn to work in the Nimble Zone. Becoming a nimble organization means that you are able to succeed in unpredictable environments by implementing changes more efficiently and effectively than your competitors.
· Investigate the critical issues that will affect your workforce during change, not just the financial issues. How prepared are your people to deal with disruptive change and implement projects?
· Recognize the business imperatives that arise from opportunities as well as problems.
· Make sure that senior management promotes flexibility within the organization and are able to guide the organization through transition.