Perseus Books Group

Taking Charge of Change- 10 Principles for Managing People and Performance

3 stars (Some good ideas, but not the best.) - This is a good book, but it is not one of the best. Get copies of Kotter, Schein, Beitler, or Collins' books. 5 stars (An Excellent How To Guide on Managing/Creating Change.) - I found the book to be extremely informative. Douglas Smith has done a masterfull job of creating a step by step guide for the process of both Creating and Managing Change in any organization. He also points out why many Change Efforts fail. The 10 step guide that he has created should help us all avoid the common pitfalls of this process and help greatly improve our odds of success. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is either thinking about starting a change effort or currently in the midst of one now. 5 stars (The best hand-on book about Change Management available.) - This is clearly the best book about the practical side of Change Management I've read so far (and I've read more then 20 by now). This book really helps me in my day-to-day work as a Change Manager. Smith has closed a big gap in the Change Management literature, this is the most practical book you can look for! Highly recommended. ...
Perseus Books Group :: Management - General :: Human Resources & Personnel Management :: Entrepreneurship :: Business&Economics :: Business & Economics & Finance :: Douglas K Smith :: :: Taking Charge of Change- 10 Principles for Managing People and Performance

Managing Transitions- Making the Most of Change

4 stars (Start-ups and Managing Transitions) - The focus of the venture capital community is on the change a new disruptive company intends to bring to the world, and little, if any, attention is paid to the changes and transitions that the company, as it moves from concept development to full commercialization, will have to negotiate to achieve its vision. "Transition Management" provides an excellent `how to' book for young, fragile companies as they negotiate the never ending changes and transitions that they will be forced to make. As author William Bridges points out, change is situational and transition is psychological. "People are the ones who have to embrace new situations and carry out the corresponding changes. The psychological shifts that accompany the situational shifts can be difficult for people and must be managed to have everyone on board." Change and transition management is crucial to focus, execution, and organizational productivity. Those of us experienced in start-up management know first hand the changes that we will have to manage - some expected, some unexpected. But few of us have been schooled in the management of the transition that accompanies change. Generally, decisions to create change are made and implemented whether the people are on board or not. A spirit of "they will have to just accept them" is the operative mantra. But, as Bridges points out so well, we can do much to ease these transitions and keep our employees "on-board and involved." It is self-defeating to try to overcome people's resistance to change without addressing the threat that change poses to their world. For successful change to take place, people must have a purpose, a mental picture, a plan for, and a part to play in change. In short, successful change takes place only when everyone is actively involved. Key changes that create transitions that must be managed in a start-up include, but are not limited to: *The addition of new functions. *The addition/r...
Perseus Books Group :: Business and Management :: Structural Adjustment :: Organizational change :: Organization Theory :: Management - General :: Management :: Industrial management :: E :: Managing Transitions- Making the Most of Change