Customer Reviews
A comprehensive briefing, not an operations manual - By: Robert Morris, 11 Aug 2008 
Esther Cameron & Mike Green's objective is to help their reader understand "why change happens, how change happens, & what needs to be done to make change a more welcoming concept" by carefully reviewing a wealth of resources that provide models, tools, & techniques of organizational change. Their purpose is not to explain how to plan & then implement a change initiative program. Thosein need of guidance to do that should seek it elsewhere. (My suggestions would include James O'Toole's Leading Change & John Kotter's book of the same title as well as William Bridges' two books, Transitions & Managing Transitions.) Presumably Cameron & Green would be among the first to agree that it would be a fool's errand for a reader to adopt all of the information & counsel providedin this book when formulating & then implementing any change initiatives. Rather, each reader would be well-advised to absorb & digest the material & then select only what is most relevant to her or his own organization's specific needs, interests, objectives, & resources.
The materialin this volume is carefully organized within two Parts:
The Underpinning Theory (Chapters 1-4): "Individual change is at the heart of everything that is achievedin organizations. Once individuals have the motivation to do something different, the whole world can begin to change...[Individuals] are to some extent governed by the norms of the groups they belong to, & groups are bound togetherin a whole system of groups of people that interconnectin various habitual ways. So the story is not always that simple. Individuals, teams, & organizations all play a partin the process of change, & leaders have a particularly onerous responsibility: that is, making all this happen."
The Applications (Chapters 5-8): In this Part, having looked at change & change management from three different perspectives (i.e. individual, team, & organization) & the roles, styles, & skills needed to become a successful leader of change, Cameron & Green apply this learning to specific types of change. "We have identified four generic change scenarios, & we look at the particular management challenges involvedin initiating & implementing each type of change." These change scenarios are structural, mergers & acquisitions, cultural, & IT-based process.
One of Cameron & Green's most valuable devices is a graphic consolidation of key points that is inserted throughout their narrative. Each facilitates, indeed expedites frequent review later. For example:
Theory X & Theory Y Assumptions (Table 1.2, Page 19)
Myers Briggs Type Indicator types or MBTI (Table1.5, Page 45)
Teams going through change (Table 2.6, Pages 80-81)
Our conclusions about each model of change (Table 3.3, Pages 119-120)
Note: This last Table summarizes key points re that include Kurt Lewin (three-step model), R.J. Bullock & D. Batten (planned change), John Kotter (eight steps), R.F. Beckhard & R.T. Harris (change formula), David Nadler & B. Tushman (congruence model), William Bridges (managing the transition), Colin Carnall (change management model), & Peter Senge (systemic model).
Addressing team change during restructuring (Table 5.4, Pages 190-191)
Note: This "Forming" & "Storming" graphic correlates task (orientation), people (dependency), task (organizational), & people (conflict) within these categories: team purpose, team roles, team processes, tem relations, inter-term relations, MBTI, Key Belbin roles, & organizational focus.
In the concluding chapter, Cameron & Green share two "significant messages" that were ringingin their ears as the ink begins to dry on this book. "The first message we want to convey is about the importance of leaders being awake & aware. The notion of peripheral vision is a key one to keepin mind. Leaders need to wake up to what is going on around them. This means noticing the more than the obvious, the loud or directly visible. It means having an awareness of what is going on at the edges, & being observant about motion & change. Whichever assumptions a leader employs about the nature of change (machine, political system, organism or flux & transformation) there is a need to be extremely observant about what is going onin & around the organization...The second message is about the importance of reflection time. Leaders benefit greatly from taking regular, focused time to reflect on what is going on around them (the fruits of their peripheral vision), what is happening right now, what the options are & they are personallyin all this. Their organizations benefit too because leadership action is considered, rather than knee-jerk."
Earlier, I suggested that Cameron & Green's objective is to help their reader understand "why change happens, how change happens, & what needs to be done to make change a more welcoming concept" by carefully reviewing a wealth of resources that provide models, tools, & techniques of organizational change. That is, theirs is a "what to think about" book, not a "how to do it" book. They focus their reader's attention on a wealth of options (e.g. theories & models), resources (e.g. MBTI), focal points (i.e. individual change, team change, organizational change or a combination thereof), & references (Pages 270-275) to consider. Those who absorb & digest the material with appropriate care will also receive at least some assistance from Cameron & Green when designing & then launching change initiatives that are most appropriate to the needs, interest, resources, & objectives of their own organization.
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Those who share my regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned books of the same title (Leading Change) by O'Toole & Kotter as well as Edgar H. Schein's Organizational Culture & Leadership, & Michael Beitler's Strategic Organizational Change, (Second Edition). Also Sarah Cook's The Essential Guide to Employee Engagement: Better Business Performance through Staff Satisfaction, Richard H. Axelrod's Terms of Engagement: Changing the Way We Change Organizations, Michael L. Stallard's Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team's Passion, Creativity, & Productivity, Dean Spitzer's Transforming Performance Measurement: Rethinking the Way We Measure & Drive Organizational Success, & Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution co-authored by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, & David Robertson.
Spot on for what it is trying to be - By: Go Go Dancer, 20 Aug 2007 As one would hope from authors writing about change management, this book is well thought out & executed.
It's not trying to be a massive, fully comprehensive tome on everything & anything to do with change management. Rather, it offers up some interesting theory & background on change, then follows it up with some practical chapters which are usefulin many ways.
Even if you eschew the theory, it's well worth the purchase price. However, the theory is interesting readingin its own right, & will assist you to inform your ideas about change & how it can be deal with.
Nothing as practical as good theory - By: M. Wilcox, 25 Aug 2006 
I think this text is a fine attempt at bringing together a huge subject areain a readable format. The mix of theory from many parts of management thinking & discussion on application make it more than just an academic text book. Change is hard to implement, but sound theory well applied will be successfulin most cases. This text provides a great groundingin both. Recommended for thoughtful change managers, not the ones who shoot first & aim later.
Change leadership focus - By: , 19 Feb 2006 There are many ways to describe what change is all about. This book by practising consultants has a leadership focus. It divides change into four target objects: individuals, teams, groups, organisations & leaders. The first half of the book explains some theory with models & the second half illustrates the value of the new knowledge with generic change scenarios.
Some the material is a little dated but does not detract from the point of the book. The analysis of change frameworks & models is particularly informative with good practical tips & how & when to apply them. If you aspire to be a change agent as a consultant or manager, see the chapter on Leading Change which is an excellent primary of leadership roles, styles & competencies. Readers will find the summary pages & checklists valuablein planning transformational change when chaos reigns & the key to success is managing people, teams & organisation all at the same time.
Change leadership focus - By: Martin Moore, 19 Feb 2006 There are many ways to describe what change is all about. This book by practising consultants has a leadership focus. It divides change into four target objects: individuals, teams, groups, organisations & leaders. The first half of the book explains some theory with models & the second half illustrates the value of the new knowledge with generic change scenarios.
Some the material is a little dated but does not detract from the point of the book. The analysis of change frameworks & models is particularly informative with good practical tips & how & when to apply them. If you aspire to be a change agent as a consultant or manager, see the chapter on Leading Change which is an excellent primary of leadership roles, styles & competencies. Readers will find the summary pages & checklists valuablein planning transformational change when chaos reigns & the key to success is managing people, teams & organisation all at the same time.
