Amazon.com

We end up hating what we create out of love, and then we must learn to love what we've grown to hate. That's longtime organizational consultant Geoffrey M. Bellman's thesis in this slim, smart, plainspoken and occasionally overidealistic volume on embracing, in all their glory and nastiness, the organizations to which we've devoted our lives. In this way, we ennoble both them and ourselves.

The first section of Bellman's book aims to bring us to terms with everything we hate about organizations--be they corporate, institutional, governmental, or, um, our workplace--then urges us to look beneath the day-to-day workings of organizations and start imagining them at their full potential--what Bellman calls a quest for their "beauty and life."

Part Three offers 20 "renewal assertions" for sparking change within organizations--on personal, small-group, and systemic levels--and the final section actually gives some fairly concrete steps for turning those assertions into action. Throughout the book, astute self-questions prompt the process of reconciliation with organizations (even though they sometimes sound scarily like New Age exercises for interpersonal growth: "Describe your relationship with this organization as it has developed so far, beginning with awareness and moving toward love." Yikes!)

There is much to recommend here, though. If Bellman's style often evokes a gentle natured, Birkenstock-wearing family therapist, he does manage to lay out a clear path for rethinking and attempting organizational change without offering even one of those honeyed "real-life snapshots" that proliferate in this genre. That said, this book still seems best suited to those with the clout to effect change, be they CEOs, veeps, or even department supervisors. Bellman's slightly wide-eyed promise that we can all transform the organizations we're a part of if we only take a good, hard look at our own attitudes and assumptions seems oblivious of the fact that, usually, those most willing to give of themselves to an organization are already getting the most from it. In big organizations, as in dysfunctional families, sometimes the love you take just isn't equal to the love you make. --Timothy Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Solid Effort!
Geoff Bellman's take on the Beauty and the Beast story is intended to help you breathe new life into stagnant, unworkable bureaucracies. While nicely written, this book fails to provide much in the way of hands-on technique that can be applied to real-life business. Nevertheless, we (...) recommend this book to anyone looking for an uncommonly inspirational viewpoint of modern-day organizations.

Asking the Correct Questions
Bellman's book provides much more than suggestions about how to successfully implement organizational change. Its additional value includes a series of questions, that when answered will provide important insight into individual and organizational history, motivation and prospects for future success.

This is a very readable and thought-provoking book.

Balanced Perspective -> Creative Tension -> Inspiring Vision
I recently finished Geoff Bellman's book The Beauty of the Beast, and I thoroughly enjoyed this very readable book! It offers a simple, realistic, and accepting perspective on organizations as they are, including their "warts, wrinkles, and wonder." It reveals a depth of understanding that is only gained through years of engagement with and thoughtful reflection on organizations . . . and on oneself.

The Beauty of the Beast guides the reader through his/her own balanced exploration of organizations and his/her relationship to them - an honest, eye-opening, often times humbling exploration. A potential outcome of this exploration is a much larger frame of reference in regards to organizations and one's life within them. Geoff teaches us of the need to hold "creative tension" between opposite truths, between competing needs and agendas; something that many disciplines are telling us is essential to our long-term success in today's complex world. But it is clear that Geoff is teaching from experience and from his own capacity for this work. He demonstrates his Eldership and his personal and professional maturity by modeling his ability to hold a balanced perspective towards each situation, to see the truth in all sides . . . even those sides that differ from his own.

And while this exploration takes the reader into the dark "authority-worshiping, talent-diminishing, heart-stomping" beastly aspects of organizations, it also unfolds a message of great hope - hope for the prospect of a meaningful, creative, value-adding individual life right now and for sowing the seeds for organizations generations hence. And to help us in this process he lays out a practical guide of inquiry and reflection for engaging a future that is still only a possibility - but is inspiring and powerful enough to evoke our best efforts now.

I think this is an important book. If even just a small percentage of people in an organization could develop a working relationship to the perspective Geoff offers, efforts towards organizational renewal would have a much higher success rate.

The Beauty of the Beast -- Bellman's New Book
The Beauty of the Beast is a welcome addition to Bellman's writings. As a management consultant, I found lots of immediately useful ideas in the book for working with my clients. From his early matrix examining how loving or hating organizations can hurt or help us, to his reasoning for why we create the bureaucratic organizations that we love to hate, I found sound thinking that has already influenced my work. His 20 renewal assertions read like the synthesis of a long consulting career. The assertions are like the design for an appreciative journey into finding and developing life in organizations. Each of the 20 assumptions about organizational change is accompanied by several questions to enable better and more lasting change. In terms of adding value to my work, Bellman's book was like getting a senior consultant as a mentor. So, was it worth the money? It was a bargain.

Roadmap to a Better Future
For all of us who yearn for change within our organizations, The Beauty of the Beast has a clear and hopeful message: we can do something about it! In drawing from 30 years of work as a master change facilitator in corporate and community settings, Geoff Bellman offers very practical advice about how to create the organizational future we want. The Beauty of the Beast offers step-by-step guidance through the change process, showing us how to embrace both the beauty and the beast in the organizations we inhabit. It offers us a roadmap to a better future. Read it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

After the Merger by Max M. Habeck, et al
The title does not accurately describe this book. There is absolutely no substantial discussion around post-merger integration. I must have been confused by the "After the Merger" title, there is limited value to this book if you are looking for strategies of how to handle merger integration, and little value for other purposes as well. The book describes generalities, for example: it takes the authors approximately 15 pages to relate that mergers should not be focused on cost cutting "efficiency synergies", rather they should be focused on "Growth Synergies". If you already have a basic understanding of merger integration concepts, this book is a waste of your time.

Attention: you can be (in) the next!
The word "merger" is one apt to strike fear in the hearts of any employee of a successful company in this era of globalization. No matter in what market you are or the size your company has, it is a possible target (or "source") for a future merger. As it is mentioned in the introduction of this book: any employee will experience at least one merger during his/her working life!

But, being such an important move, why are only 42% of the mergers successful? Why are they so focused on "fit" and "synergy" instead of vision and growth? Why have 86% of the companies failed in communicating their new alliance sufficiently? Why do only 32% of merging companies actively pursue risk management?

Having so many questions in mind, we should ask at least another one: What about the future?

The 3 authors, all top executives of A.T.Kearney with extensive experience in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), will not give the reader all the answers but at least show the way. They develop that subject focusing on 7 simple, but effective, rules that should help you steer through a merger a successful integration: Vision, Leadership, Growth, Early Wins, Cultural Differences, Communication and Risk Management. After placing the reader in a hypothetical situation related to each rule, the authors briefly explain it, point some facts they confronted in the A.T.Kearney Global PMI (Post-Merger Integration) Survey and give many examples (more than 40) involving well-known companies which had both successful and unsuccessful attempts in mergers, such as Novartis, Aventis and Exxon Mobil. These examples bring the subject into focus and help the reader understand how the particular rule being explored impacts the post-merger integration. At the end of each chapter, the authors state the rule and give the reader some practical suggestions on how to apply each rule to their own situation.

This book presents a powerful blueprint on how post-merger integration should be done. The seven rules presented confirmed how critical the so called Triangle of Merger Success (Get Buy-in, Provide Orientation and Manage Expectation) is during the post-merger integration process.

I strongly recommend this book to all professionals, especially those who are facing a merger, and top managers, who are/would be responsible for a present/future post-merger integration. It is an easy-to-read book, interesting and the case studies are clear and do not detract from the main thrust of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Positive organizational change does not have to be planned or managed top down in a linear, urgent manner. Rather, it can be "unleashed" or discovered by helping people within organizations to identify their own best experiences in the past, and then use them to imagine, design, and bring into being the organization they want. The method is called "Appreciative Inquiry." The volume editors and their panel of experts examine how AI works in practice, and how its many (and often surprising) benefits can be realized in just about any organization. The result is a major explication and source book for leaders, change managers, and HR/OD specialists. ... Read more

Book Description

This hands-on kit contains everything managers need to put the strategies presented in The Boundaryless Organization into actual practice. Based on the renowned WorkOut process initiated at General Electric, this complete resource offers specific guidelines for facilitating dialogues that result in rapid, significant change. Practical tools include PowerPoint slides that reinforce key concepts, a diagnostic questionnaire for assessing your current boundaries, and exercises that apply boundaryless thinking to real-life scenarios. A leader's guide to WorkOut, process mapping, customer-supplier projects, and the employment of technology is also included.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Most Boundaries Are Self-Imposed
The title is a misnomer: Although the authors do indeed suggest how to "break through the chains of organizational structure", they provide an enlightening explanation of four different types of boundaries (vertical, horizontal, external, and geographic) which give definition to any organization. They do not advocate the total elimination of these boundaries (which is impossible, anyway); rather, they suggest how to rearrange them so that an organization can thrive. For the authors, there is what they call "A New World Order":

"In living organisms, membranes exist to give the organization shape and definition. They have sufficient structural strength to prevent the organism from dissolving into an amorphous mess....Like a living organism, the boundaryless organization also evolves and grows, and the placement of boundaries may shift....Because the boundaryless organization is a living continuum, not a fixed state, the ongoing management challenge is to find the right balance of boundaryless behavior, to determine how permeable to make boundaries, and where to place them."

This brief excerpt from the first chapter correctly suggests the purpose of this remarkable book: To explain HOW to meet that challenge. The material is presented within four parts plus a conclusion. The first explains how to achieve "free movement up and down" by crossing vertical boundaries; the second explains how to achieve "free movement side to side" by crossing horizontal boundaries; the third explains how to achieve "free movement along the value chain" by crossing external boundaries; and in the fourth part, they explain how to achieve "free global movement" by crossing geographic boundaries." Then in the Conclusion, the authors discuss "Making It Happen: Leading Toward the Boundaryless Organization." The authors also include a series of six questionnaires. By completing each in sequence, the reader is able to determine (a) where her or his organization is now located relative to "the boundaryless paradigm", and (b), what is needed to eliminate the "gap" between where it is now and where it should be.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to read The Boundaryless Organization Field Guide. It contains a wealth of hands-on set of diagnostic instruments, exercises, and tools as well as a disk with presentation slides in Powerpoint format.

Boundaryless Organization Fieldbook Review
The fieldbook is written in a very user friendly way. It provides information that can be used in various ways - presentation slides, workshops, surveys and inteviews. Each tool is explained in great detail - how to use it and the intended purpose. I borrowed a copy from our corporate libary and liked it so much I will order my own personal copy! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Think Out of the Box
Diane Deacon has amazing insight in her writing. I thoroughly enyoyed it!

Think Out of the Box
No real information. Just a view from 5000 feet.

Authors should take the advice they peddle...
...then maybe they would present some original ideas that readers haven't heard many times before.

Average at best
There are a lot of books out there these days that deal with creative thinking. This book is average at best. It's a book where the authors cobbled some creative techniques with bios of famous thinkers. It's a simplistic approach that, at best, will benefit the reader who has read little in the field.

Wonderful information on business creativity
Mike Vance is one of the deans of the growing field of business creativity. He shares many of his techniques with amazing openness. I learned lots and have been able to apply it immediately in my creativity consultancy. Through Mike, I have been able to see more clearly into the mind of my creativity mentor, Walt Disney, and further back to Disney's mentor, Leonardo DaVinci. Vance's use of storyboarding and Displayed Thinking have helped me and my clients visualize our thinking and led us to new ways of creating and solving problems. Check out his other book, "Break Out of the Box" ... a great companion piece. Both books are out of my bookshelf more than they are in it ... Read more

Book Description

Peter Fingar, author of the internationally acclaimed book, "Enterprise E-Commerce," joins forces with long time colleagues and industry veterans to go beyond e-commerce and on to the solid business fundamentals of the digital economy. The Internet is a whole new infrastructure for an entirely new way of doing business and competing. Economic transactions become frictionless as they move from "places" to "spaces." The crisp and insightful chapters make quick reads for CEOs, COOs, CTOs, CIOs, and line-of-business executives with little time for reading --distilling what management needs to be doing and thinking today to prepare themselves and their companies for the ride ahead.

Now that doing business on the Internet is reaching the mainstream, it's no longer e-business or e-commerce --it's just business and commerce. The authors take the mystery out of the deep and profound changes being ushered in by the ability to connect anyone-to-anyone or any computer-to-any-computer across the globe in real-time. The book signals the death of the e-hype and the beginning of the real work of building hyper-efficient, hyper-effective corporations that will continue to thrive in the years ahead.

The book systematically disassembles an enterprise's business processes, core competencies, and value chains; then reassembles them into dynamic customer-driven value webs and business ecosystems. Along the way, the authors explain the emerging business models of electronic marketplaces, peer-to-peer commerce, e-hubs, B2B exchanges, auctions, wireless applications, m-commerce, intelligent agent technology, B2B consortia, collaborative commerce, digital strategies, essential technologies and Web-services. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Impressive work on business Internet technology
The first half of this book is written by the listed authors, followed by six essays by thought leaders on peer-to-peer commerce, collaborative commerce, portals, adaptive strategies for B2B marketplaces, B2B integration, and visibility in the extended supply chain. Fingar and Aronica have done a commendable job of examining and explaining the changes to business models brought by information technology. The authors tell the reader what they think was wrong with the dot-com economy and what needs to be done to succeed in the high-tech economy in which the major risk is not getting Amazoned so much as getting "GE'ed". The book straightforwardly delves into the business model implications of electronic marketplaces, peer-to-peer commerce, B2B exchanges, e-hubs, e-services, component-based architectures, m-commerce, collaborative commerce, value chain optimization, and more. The authors agree with a growing number of others, including re-engineering gurus Hammer and Champy, that the key to success now lies in extended business relationships. The book does an excellent job of looking at the new generation of Internet technologies need to enable new business models and processes. You do not need to be highly technically inclined to follow this discussion which helps business leaders understand what they need to do to power ahead in the real innovation economy. One strength of the book is reflected in the subtitle which shows that the authors are concerned not with technology alone but with how it fits together with new technologies and new business models.

Peer-to-peer commerce, e-hubs, B2B exchanges, auctions, more
Doing business on the Internet is now a mainstream phenomena ranging from novice online entrepreneurs to established multinational conglomerates. In The Death Of "e" And the Birth Of The Real New Economy, Peter Fingar and Ronald Aronic effectively collaborate to survey and explain the rapid and fundamental changes affecting how individuals and companies are doing business in this age of the computer whether the transactions are across town or on the other side of the world. The authors explain the emerging business models of the electronic marketplace, peer-to-peer commerce, e-hubs, B2B exchanges, auctions, wireless applications, m-commerce, intelligent agent technology, collaborative commerce, digital strategies, and more. The Death Of "e" And the Birth Of The Real New Economy is very highly recommended, essential reading for corporate executives, economists, business managers, and anyone with an interest in how the Internet is impacting upon local, regional, national, and international economies and business practices.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN, but more importantly WHERE WE ARE GOING!
This book covers what assumptions were wrong in the dot-com economy and refocuses on the realities of business in the technological, digital-savy economy. It covers all of the P2Ps: Powerpoint-to-Production, Path-to-Profitability, and finally, Peer-to-Peer technologies among others.

Explained are the educational takeaways from historical, leading edge developments of e-commerce, e-procurement and electronic marketplaces and how they can be applied based on the realized importance of extended business relationships. This book then addresses the appication of the newest developments, including peer-to-peer, collaborative commerce, and B2B integration within the supply chain in the currently developing (Real New) digital economy.

This book is recommended reading as it clearly details the digital past and provokes thought on how to continue to execute using new technologies within business today.

Great Book
Timing is perfect - this is a book for all to read.

The e-business future just happened!
During the dot.com craze, companies worried about being "amazoned," asaulted by young zealots who threw out all the rules of the old economy. But now after the crash of the dot.coms, the pendulum has swung back too far and many companies are tempted to think, "I told you so, the Internet was just a fad."

Not so. The true Internet business revolution is just beginning, and no company will be spared its impact.

Companies shouldn't worry about being amazoned, they should worry about being "GE'ed," where under the leadership of CEO, Jack Welch, the single most impotant business tool of our time is being used to gain operational hyperefficiency, and strategically position GE's many companies to dominate their industries. No overnight magic. No quick fixes. But deep and structural changes in what it means to be in business and and what it takes to dominate industries are altered by the anywhere, anytime, anyone connections of the Internet. This is the focus of this book.

I thoroughly agree with Xerox's John Seely Brown and his conclusion that "The Death of e is unquestionably the birth of a new understanding of where the real new economy is headed." The book explains the business models for Value Chain Innovation and Collaborative Commerce. But it doesn't stop there. It goes on to clarify the need for a new generation of Internet technologies to enable these new business models.

Web-services, peer-to-peer computing, intelligent agents and integrated commerce resource platforms are clearly described so that even not-technical readers can grasp the next generation Internet technologies needed to conduct business at the network's edge. In addition to this solid introduction to the new business technologies, in-depth chapters written by industry thought leaders are devoted to the critical concepts: Peer-to-Peer Commerce, Enterprise Portals for Conducting Business on the Network Edge, Collaborative Commerce, Adaptive Strategies for B2B Marketplaces, Dynamic B2B Integration, Bringing Visibility to the Extended Supply Chain, and Understanding ebXML, UDDI and XML/edi. The result is a book with both vision and substance. The downside of this breakthrough book is that I wish it was 800 pages instead of 360, as it triggers the need to learn more and more about the new way of competing. It does, however, provide a pointer to its accompaning Web site at mkpress for further reading and investigation.

Because business and technology cannot be treated as separate issues in today's extremely competitive markets, the book's subtitle indicates the balance provided in its pages: business models, technologies and strategies for the 21st century. The Death of 'e' does not restate the "conventional wisdom of e-business" found in the many other books on the subject. Instead it breaks new ground to show business leaders what they should be thinking and doing to dominate in the real new economy. ... Read more

Book Description

Organization development practitioners have, for over half a century, engaged with organizations to help them grow and thrive.The artful application of Organization Development (OD) has helped business leaders articulate vision, rethink business processes, create more fluid organization structures and better utilize people's talents.While business leaders and OD practitioners intuitively believe that OD provides valuable results,rigorous measurement of the value delivered has long eluded many OD practitioners.

'Bottom-Line Organization Development' provides powerful tools to capture and measure the financial return on investment (ROI) of OD projects to the business.Given the increasing competition for budget and resources within organizations and the requirements of demonstrating tangible results, the need for such OD measurement tools is very high.

But in addition to proving the value of OD projects, integrating evaluation into the change management process itself can actually increase the value of the change initiative because it opens up new ways of capturing and increasing the value of change initiatives. In other words, there is an ROI to ROI. Merrill Anderson calls this new way of approaching OD "strategic change valuation."

The book explains the five steps in the OD value process - diagnosis, design, deployment, evaluation and reflection. In addition, three case studies take readers through the process of applying bottom-line OD to three types of popular strategic change initiatives: executive coaching, organization capability, and knowledge management.Readers will gain a holistic perspective of how to make the seemingly intangible benefits of these initiatives tangible.

* Guides you through a proven, results-based approach to calculating the Return on Investment for large-scale, complex change management initiatives
* Provides the tools to identify the key measures and specific advice on how to measure them effectively
* Summarizes in simple language everything HR professionals need to do to justify and document the ROI of organization development initiatives for senior management ... Read more

Reviews (1)

How OD and HR deliver dollar value
This book has several case studies that show from real-world experience how to show dollar value from so-called "soft initiatives."There are several tools and ideas for demonstrating beyond a reasonable doubt how the change initiative delivered monetary value.Dave Ulrich endorsed the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Vijay Sathe examines how top managers--corporate executives, division general managers and the division's top management team members--influence corporate entrepreneurship, specifically new business creation in a corporate division. Corporate Entrepreneurship takes the reader into the real world of top managers to explore a relatively uncharted territory in a systematic and comprehensive way.The business realities, the management culture, the corporate philosophy, the organizational politics, the personalities, and the personal agendas of the people at the top are vividly portrayed in these pages.New business creation is innately difficult and it does not help that top managers are insufficiently educated and trained for it.This book offers both a theory of corporate entrepreneurship based on the real-world experience of top managers and practical advice on how to manage it for better results. Vijay Sathe is Professor of Management in The Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California.He has published numerous journal articles and three other books: Controller Involvement in Management (Prentice Hall, 1982), Culture and Related Corporate Realities (Irwin, 1985), and a co-authored book, Organization (Third Edition, Irwin, 1992).Sathe has taught in MBA and executive education programs in the United States and Europe.He has also consulted with government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and private and public companies around the globe. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great practical book - Good job Vijay !
This is a very interesting book with tons of practical examples and situations from the four companies the author studied. It's a great book about the organizational culture, strategies and personalities that encourage corporate entrepreneurship. It could be a valuable tool to any company engaged in new business / new product development. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Applying concepts of quantum and chaos thinking to the working world,consultant and educator Danah Zohar's Rewiring the Corporate Brain: Using the NewScience to Rethink How We Structure and Lead Organizations offers revolutionaryadvice for achieving workplace change. Businesses should be operated like brains, sheargues, utilizing all of the mental, emotional, and spiritual stimuli at their disposal.Ordinarily, however, most ignore the latter two and rely solely on just one-third of their"corporate brains"--a shortcoming Zohar shows how to correct so that trulyeffective responses can be crafted for myriad predicaments. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Open your mind.....think differently
The new science, quantum theory, and related branches of physics are clearly defined and related to business structures and people within "Rewiring the Corporate Brain"

To some, the whole notion of "The New Science", let alone it's relation to the business world may seem like a bunch of new age babble. We (in the US especially) are used to thinking in terms of action-reaction, events, actions, and people, as individual and isolated. We make distinctions and often-strict divisions between work and the rest of our lives. We thrive on predictability, being able to determine outcomes, and control environments, which can inhibit the ability to quickly adapt to and accept change.

"Rewiring the Corporate Brain" recognizes this, and uses quantum theory to illustrate that we might be missing something. The author demonstrates the shortcomings of the common, rigid Newtonian thinking and organization that permeates so many companies and minds, yet also recognizes that a pure quantum approach is not a cure all. The author presents a hybrid model that recognizes the importance of managing and living to obtain certain objectives, while allowing and encouraging the creativity, exploration, and openness to continually grow and adapt to the torrid pace of change. Not only does the application of quantum thinking make sense for the development and management of organizations, but also when trying to bring the separate parts of ones' life together into a more holistic, satisfying existence.

The book refers to a few related "new science" books, which may be of interest to the reader. It also draws on some early Fast Company articles from the good ol' days before Fast Company became the useless waste of paper it is today.

This book is not technical or difficult to read. You'll be able to polish it off within a few hours. If you liked this book, and would like to read more on the "New Physics", or would simply like to explore it ("New Physics") w/o the business context, pick up a copy of:

"The Dancing Wu Li Masters : An Overview of the New Physics"

A Solid Effort!
If you're looking for a philosophical, out-of-the-mainstream approach to restructuring your company, author Danah Zohar offers it. She presents an exhaustive, if at times repetitive, case for replacing inflexible, old-line companies with more agile, quantum organizations. Problematically, Zohar devotes too many words to theory and not enough to practical steps for restructuring, and her book is light on examples of companies that have successfully used quantum theory to reorganize. Still, her underlying case is strong. Anyone stuck in a staid bureaucracy would prefer a company where assumptions are actively questioned. To her credit, Zohar offers a starting point for the difficult task of streamlining stodgy organizations. We [...] recommend her ideas to any manager seeking an unusual and thoughtful look at corporate restructuring.

A new paradigm for leadership and organization.
"We live largely in a world of Newtonian organizations. These are organizations that thrive on certainty and predictability. They are hierarchical; power emanates from the top, and control is vital at every level. So, often, is fear. They are heavily bureaucratic and rule-bound, and hence inflexible. They stress the single point of view, the one best way forward. They are managed as though the part organizes the whole. Newtonian organizations do not respond well to change. Their primary value is efficiency. Human beings work and live in such organizations, but we often feel like passive units of production. Our lives serve the organizations, but the organizations serve only our utilitarian needs, and that only so long as we conform to the organization's purposes and are vital to the organization itself. The emphasis on control isolates these organizations from their environments. They don't interact with or respect those environments, including the people who work within them. It is my purpose here to describe a wholly different kind of organization. I hope to offer a new model for structure, leadership, and learning within organizations that can thrive on uncertainty, can deal creatively with rapid change, and can release the full potential of the human beings who lead and work or live within them. Such organizations, like the human brain, have the potential for self-organizing creativity just waiting to be unleashed within them. This new model is based on the thinking, ideas, language, and imagery of the new science-quantum physics, chaos and complexity, and the latest brain science. I believe that understanding the philosophical basis of these sciences, understanding the new paradigm from which they emerge, is critical to rewiring the corporate brain" (from the Introduction).

In this context, Danah Zohar divides this invaluable book into two parts:

I- Using the New Science to Rewire Corporate Thinking. In this part, she basically:

* describes the uses and limitations of traditional paradigms in business activities and other life contexts.

* focuses on three kinds of thinking (serial thinking, associative thinking, and quantum thinking) that the human brain can do, and discusses their advantages and disadvantages.

* contrasts eight key ideas from Newtonian science/old paradigm, and their effects on business thinking, with eight key ideas from quantum science/new paradigm and their application to new thinking about leadership, and thus constructs a management-leadership chart that puts the features of these two contrasting paradigms as follows:

- N.certainty, Q.uncertainty

- N.predictability, Q.rapid change; unpredictability

- N.hierarchy, Q.nonhierarchical networks

- N.division of labor or function fragmentation, Q.multifunctional and holistic (integrated effort)

- N.power emanates from top or center, Q.power emanates from many interacting centers

- N.employees are passive units of production, Q.employees are cocreative partners

- N. single viewpoint; one best way, Q.many view points; many ways of getting things done

- N.competition, Q.cooperation

- N.inflexible structures; heavy on bureaucratic control, Q.responsive and flexible structures; hands-off supervision

- N.efficiency, Q.meaningful service and relationships

- N.top-down (reactive) operation, Q.bottom-up (experimental) operation

II- Structure and Leadership of the Rewired Corporation. In this part, she basically:

* discusses Western/Newtonian and Eastern/Networked models of the self/person and organization, and then attempts to reach a Quantum model of self and organization drawn from the thinking of the new science. And she shows the features of these three models as follows:

- W.conflict and control, E.cooperation, Q.dialogue

- W.self (the personal) wholly excluded and isolated; interactions grounded in universal principles, E.self wholly embedded and contextual; no universal principles, Q.self embedded and contextual with universal dimension

- W.stability achieved through excluding the self and the emotions, and organizing only the predictable and controllable aspects of relationships, E.stability achieved through reinforced familiarity and discipline of the self, Q.stability balanced with instability

- W.rigid boundaries, E.ambiguous boundaries, Q.flexible boundaries

- W.dictatorial leadership, E.consensual leadership, Q.leader relies on trust and feel for situation

- W.rule-bound, E.habit-bound, Q.no set framework from rules or habits

- W.mechanical, E.organic, Q.both naturally unfolding (organic) and that which can be made from it (mechanical)

- W+E.rely on stability, Q.open to change

- W+E.weak in dealing with unexpected change, Q.open to change

- W+E.seek to dampen down or exclude the unexpected, Q.thrives on unexpected

* argues that servant leadership is the essence of quantum thinking and quantum leadership, and then presents a new model of servant leadership.

Finally, she writes, "much of the book contrasts the Newtonian and new sciene, or quantum, approaches to leadership. But this is not to convey a message of either-or. All the fundamental thinking of the new science is about both-and. The new science incorporates the old. Quantum physics does not invalidate Newtonian physics. It just shows that Newton's laws are restricted to one band of reality. But they are still necessary to corporate leadership as the new paradigm, quantum thinking. The core competence I hope to convey in this book is about 'managing at the edge' - that is, becoming aware that there are different paradigms and cultivating the judgement to know when to use one or another, or when to remain at the edge between the two."

I higly recommend this unique study.

A psuedo form of scientific plagiarism!
...she doesn't quite steal ideas as her own, but then doesn't quite acknowledge her sources either. The book has no footnotes, which doesn't please a technical reader like myself. She quotes passages out of books which don't appear either in the index or in her bibliography. She talks of the new science of chaos and complexity but doesn't seem to know the difference between the two. She throws in the popular images emanating out of the complexity academy without acknowledging who coined these terms, or even bothering to define them. The "edge of chaos" is an example. Overall, her message is in line with the latest fad of applying the new science thinking to business problems, but is largely derivative, and not well researched. I liked Danah before she was drawn into the commercial world, very disappointing!

Linear thinking will stagnate your systems and your people.
I have read Rewiring the Corporate Brain and it doesn't take a genius to realize that linear thinking will stagnate corporate business and yourself. Open yourself up to see the possibilities and don't let the left side of the brain see all the work. As an entrepenaur it is possibly easier to see these insights. Danah Zohar has put some hard facts, hard science facts, that prove to any doubters that rewiring our brains is what this country needs. We can do it and we're worth it. Facts are there; she proves it. Make life simple; read it, do it, prove it to yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It really works!
A colleague of mine read this book as part of his MPA graduate program and found the methodology simple yet powerful. The book provides a graphical way of organizing employee complaints and laments into a logical structure that shows how most "problems" are actually symptoms of a few root issues that need to be addressed to effect lasting change.

I went to this book once it became clear that one of my "IT consulting" projects actually needed to turn into an "organizational change" project. We mapped out the problems on large butcher paper and used it in a working session with senior managers. They quickly grasped the key issues and focused in on identifying productive solutions -- no time wasted while each manager expounded on his/her view on the real issues, b/c it was all there in black/white/red/yellow etc. Highly recommend it for all change management agents. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This books really makes you undertand the concepts in their
Just Amazing, every busines student should read it

Great Disappointment
Martin does another disservice to his readers with this book. It is a compliation of anecdotes, stories and hype. It also contains repetitive material from his other books.

Sadly, it is not recomnmended.

An important book; not Martin's Best, but essential reading
There is one quote in this book which alone makes it worth the price of purchase: "Most systems being developed today are the wrong systems." The book essentially explains why this is true and what to do about it. Anyone building enterprise systems needs to understand this concept and reckon with it. Ignore it at your own risk. While the book is not fun to read because it does not take this ball and run with it clearly and forcefully starting at the beginning and proceeding to the end, it illuminates the subject in important ways -- vital ways. Martin's mind operates at a higher speed and in different ways from the minds of most people ... and he is usually right. I'd be suspect of anyone claiming the capability to build systems today who does not understand the issues and concepts in this book. Buy it and read it, then read it again.

Disappointing
The great transition is a great disappointment for people trying to understand transformational change and organization alignment. The work is largely a compilation of ideas, stories, and other items generated by others over the last 20 years. People looking for the same degree of clarity found in Martin's groundbreaking Information Engineering series will be sorely disappointed. There are many better works on this subject than this. Sorry, but this ones not worth the time or the money in my opinion. ... Read more

Book Description

Although many leaders acknowledge and invest in creativity, we seldom see it hold a credible place in the business development process. Creativity at Work takes a practical approach to creativity, showing how to select practices to produce results and add value. The authors explain how to:

• Understand the creative preferences of organizations, departments, work groups, and individuals
• Identify and compare the different creativity profiles that describe specific purposes, practices, and people
• Produce the desired results by developing the right practices
• Blend creativity practices to meet the complex needs that characterize most work situations

... Read more

Reviews (3)

Theory Made Practical
Books on creativity are often interesting to read but almost impossible to translate into practice.Not so with this book.

This book broadened my personal definition of creativity; it challenged me to consider creativity as a core competency in more than just innovation.Distinguishing it from other books that I have read, it focuses more on the specific outcomes of creativity instead of the sometimes mysterious process of creativity.It makes the often implicit skills involved in creativity much more explicit.

On a practical note, it serves as a toolkit with an array of different assessment tools, exercises, and suggestions for generative work that can be tailored to different organizational needs at different times.We're currently using these tools in a healthcare setting, but I think they could be equally well applied to a myriad of other settings.

This book has been a great addition to my business bookshelf - accessible, easy to read, and full of useful suggestions - I think of it as a user's guide to fostering and tailoring creativity in the work place.

Getting a Handle on Creativity
If you thought creativity was an elusive and muse-driven quality ascribed to only artistic types of people, this book will set you straight. Here is a tangible approach to making creativity work for you and your organization. It will help you assess your needs, select the most effective practices for your situation and identify the people you need for successful implementation. The straightforward format and accessible language makes this a practical handbook for any level of manager or consultant in organizations large and small.

Creative Work vs. Just a Job
Creativity at Work is a must read for anybody who wants their job to be more than just work. It surveys all of the elements of an organization and then clearly supports the reader on his/her professional journey with the necessary tools to attain results. It's well-written, easy to read and tells all of the stories one needs to stimulate their creativity and own ideas. It is the only book that I have read and finished believing that I could now add value to the folks I work with in innovative and concrete ways. ... Read more

Book Description

Reengineering the Corporation &nbsphas swept through corporate America with a force unprecedented in recent years. Hailed by Business Week &nbsp as "the best-written, most well-reasoned business book for the managerial masses since In Search of Excellence," the book has appeared on virtually every bestseller list, including a six-month run on The New York Times list. Reengineering has become a part of everyone's business vocabulary. It is undoubtedly the business concept of the nineties.

In The Reengineering Revolution, Michael Hammer and Steven Stanton build on this foundation to share with readers their experiences in successfully implementing reengineering in companies around the world. In an easy-reading, anecdotal style, the book offers behind-the-scenes stories of reengineering successes and failures; practical techniques for key aspects of reengineering, from breaking long standing assumptions to managing change; and insights into the new ways of thinking that reengineering requires.

Just as Reengineering the Corporation shot to the top of the bestseller charts, so has The Reengineering Revolution. It is the practical guide for which business people have been waiting to help them achieve the dramatic improvements -- in speed, productivity, quality, service and profits -- that reengineering promises. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A valuable guide, but missing some questions
If you're going to reengineer, this book is a valuable one to have-- in particular, I'd like to take the chapter about choosing a consultant and staple it to the doors of many a company (and I'm a consultant). The book covers elements of success, practical tips for making it work, and some case studies.

What I find missing is the question "Should I reengineer?". (The answer, I think, isn't always 'yes'.) It would be *most* useful if it first helped managers make sure that reengineering really is a Good and Necessary Thing, given the pain it inevitably causes a corporation. There's also a little bit of a sense that nay-sayers shouldn't be tolerated at all, and I find that a little bit short-sighted.

Nice to have for managers and consultants.

Re-engineering Finds The Way
After the magnificent marketing of Re-engineering as a radical tool to be used in organizations in order to increase contemporary performance measures such as efficiency, quality and speed, many organizations have started sweeping grand re-engineering projects in the hope that they would reach promised lands. But results of such high-risky re-engineering projects were not much motivating. Upon initial results and understood problems of re-engineering, Hammer wrote this book to close the conceptual and practical gaps of re - engineering. Human side of organizations had been neglected and organizations had been thought as mechanical systems in the first article and book. This book is an endeavor to offset first stage of re-engineering theory and practice.

As in other management models, strong leadership is seen as a critical factor for final success of re-engineering. I think, the reason of serious emphasis on leadership in this book is that some people who practiced re-engineering realized that organizations are also political arenas in which members fight for their privileges and long-term interests. From a humanistic perspective, it is normal to sabotage re-engineering projects which would change power structure in upper-levels of the organizations and would cause many people at lower-levels lose their jobs. It seems that leader is assumed as a man who would table political nature of organizations and lead people walk in dictated direction despite ominous results for them , namely leader is seen as an authority figure who is expected to overwhelm political conflicts between organization members. Ironically, leaders are also political figures, not neutral personalities exempt from corporate politics. I think, authors should think again on leadership and its role in re-engineering projects. Oversimplification is not able to solve most complex problems of organizations.

Although Hammer and his apostles strongly oppose to F.W. Taylor and his approach, there is an important similarity in the logic of their models. Taylor was trying to fully understand the each detail managing the work performed, namely inputs, outputs, and procedures, by conducting time-motion studies, and after he was trying to find the one-best way to do job. It was possible to find best way if you understand all parts of the work performed. Today, this is absolutely what Hammer does. The most outstanding example of re-engineering is order-taking process that is too simple, too mechanistic, accordingly very understandable. Will you please tell me, how can Re-engineering can deal with a decision process. Do people follow a pure-rational mechanistic approach, which is recounted in all management books, when they intend to make a decision. Can you apply re-engineering model to this process which is much complex ? I think, the answer is NO. In this case, Why is re-engineering presented as a radical anti-Taylorist model ? It is so blurred.

We have known for a long time that organizations are SOCIOTECHNICAL systems, but Hammer and his apostles place the emphasis on the technical dimension of the organizations, and other part is behaved as it is stepchild. Organization is consisted of two important structures, which are technical structure (hard structure) and social structure (soft structure). Social structure is also important and in most cases this part dominates and shapes the other part. Therefore there should be an equal emphasis on both of them. A pure-rational model which does not take social fabric of the organization into consideration is subject to failure in practical settings.

The other problem of re-engineering I understood when I read the book is that "Information Technology" is exaggerated to the extent that it is perceived as a panecea. Such a conviction does not hold truth completely. We are reading and witnessing corporations which invest in information technology (hardware and software) and incur big failure costs. Without understanding the problem within the right context, technology is beyond a solution. "Packet problem and packet solution approach" should be abandoned. An organization must understand its problem with its real roots (not assumed) so that it would be able to produce right solution alternatives. "Inquiry discipline" is a prerequisite for long-run solutions.

Overall, I think that should the conceptual and practical gaps are closed, re-engineering has a high potential to become a strong re-organization tool which would stamp on 21 century corporate history . This book is a good starting base in this long way. I recommend this book with three stars.

LONG LIVE THE IDEAS OF THIS PROACTIVE MANAGER!
Michael Hammer is truly a proactive manager. His ideas strike hard and are STILL needed here in the US and abroad. He helped us prune our organization so it could grow. Reengineering will take on many forms as the business world around us changes, but the concepts are rock-solid and they will be the best foundation for a business that wants to continually improve.

Hammer covers all of the proactive bases: smart thinking, system thinking, futuristic thinking, and positive thinking. If you want to your business to always be operating at its maximum performance, you should follow his advice. Some of the ideas he promotes are found in SUCCESS BOUND, another book that teaches you how to be a proactive thinker.

One of my favorite quotes is, "The starting point for organization success is well designed processes." Unfortunately too many business managers tried to implement reengineering concepts, but they failed miserably because they didn't take the time to learn from Hammer as to what "well designed" meant.

Read this book and you will find out and you will put your organization on the road to proactive success. ... Read more

Book Description

In an era of increased global competition, of takeovers, downsizing, restructuring, and even outright failure, managing intelligent organizational change is the most difficult challenge facing business. Kanter, Stein, and Jick present here a comprehensive overview and an authoritative model for how to and, in some cases how not to, institute change in organizations.

Building upon their "Big Three" model of change, the authors focus on internal and external forces that set events in motion; the major kinds of change that correspond to external and internal change pressures; and the principal tasks involved in managing the change process. Several "portraits" of companies undergoing different types of change, coupled with the authors' own expert analyses, prove that no one person or group can make change "happen" alone. Instead, the authors assert that it is the delicate balance among key players that makes organizational change a success.

The authors analyze the forces for change by examining Banc One, Apple Computer, and Lehman Brothers, among others, to illustrate environmental and cyclical change as businesses grow. Then they turn to forms of change, drawing on the Western-Delta merger, strategy change at Bell Atlantic, and takeover turmoil at Lucky Stores, to show how companies change their structures and cultures. The section on execution of change shows "change masters," to use Kanter's own famous term, at work at Motorola, General Electric, and other leading firms, as well as the difficulties of implementing change at General Motors and Microswitch.

Fundamental organizational change, they argue, is exemplified by identity change, involving much more than the transfer of tangible assets. Managing the feelings, fears, and hopes of people must be the central strategy during such transitions. In this essential volume for managers and analysts of change, Kanter, Stein, and Jick offer powerful insights, practical new directions for action, prospects for the future of deliberate organizational change, and advice on where to begin the change process, and when: NOW! ... Read more

Book Description

You can't embrace change any faster...can't make time for the synergy training workshop...can't deal with one more change management seminar. So stop changing. Evolve.

Evolution can be unleashed in your organization, effortlessly and gradually changing everything in its path. By teaching your company to "zoom" -- embrace change without pain -- you'll have a company that evolves and ultimately attracts people who drive it to evolve even faster.

In up or down markets, for companies in any industry, embrace the organic approach detailed in Survival Is Not Enough and you will always outperform the competition.

Here's practical advice on how to make the chaos we all must deal with an asset, not a threat. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Godin does it again!
In his follow-up to the popular e-book Unleashing the Ideavirus, marketing guru Seth Godin uses Darwin's theory of evolution as an extended metaphor for how companies have to constantly change in order to adapt to unstable economic environments. Survival Is Not Enough: Zooming Evolution, and the Future of Your Company maintains that in these uncertain times, business owners have to constantly tinker with their marketing, products, and personnel, even if they've already discovered some successful strategies. While he lays the metaphors on a little thick, Godin's otherwise clear, crackling prose and real-life examples make the book an engaging read.

Thoroughly enjoyable...
I really enjoyed Seth Godin's Permission Marketing so I had high expectations of Survival is Not Enough and I must say that my expectations were easily met.

I read the book cover to cover in one day and found that Seth's insights were not only meaningful but inspirational.
Any person managing people or thinking of starting a company should invest in reading this book. It will definitely change the way you see the role of people in your company and how companies hold on to survival for dear life rather then embracing change to continue and succeed and as we're shown time and time again "Survival is Not Enough"

Has some interesting ideas..
Has some interesting ideas. I don't know how much of it can actually be implemented, however. Just because there's chaos around you doesn't mean you have to live/work in chaos. Remember the hare and the turtouise fable?

Science and Business Hand in Hand
Europeans, especially the British, see science as separate from business, and scientists and businessmen as separate species. This book categorically refutes this folly. Science and business are the same. What he is trying to say about the outliers being successful in a changing world is not new. The germans always practiced this principle. Try to do the best job you can and keep improving it technically no end. Provided you are not doing something completely silly, you will find that your only competitor will be, perhaps, another West German company (this is what happened in textiles in Germany). The problem is that we always focus on making that dollar, on the "average" behaviour or achieving some margin. Money is EMERGENT, i.e. just do what you love and at some threshold of excellence the money will follow you. The hidden message of evolution is seeing change as an agent of opportunity rather than a threat. Therefore, governments should encourage and support education, long degrees of 6 years or so, as used to be the norm in France and Germany we require again today even more so than before. Only when the population acquires the hunger for knowledge can they become the flexible individuals able to survive is a dynamic world.

Left me flat
Seth Godin is becoming the new Tom Peters. I found very little of substance here, which surprised because I enjoy his Fast Company column. This was just a lot of high minded columnist talk from someone who will never have to do any of it.

I prefer more down to earth authors who offer practical advice, not a lot of evangelist sounding advice. ... Read more

Book Description

Written for business leaders who understand that their company's prosperity depends on successful transformation, Better Change offers the insight and experience of some of the world's outstanding thought leaders on change: The Price Waterhouse Change Integration Team. It offers step-by-step instructions to help corporate leaders navigate the rough water between a shaky status quo and future success, including how to: effectively sell the case for change to senior management and diversified stakeholders; clearly communicate the new vision to all levels of employees; empower employees to their fullest potential in ways that make business sense; revise the performance measures that guide and motivate everyone, from the top of the house to the laoading dock; overcome internal resistance to change; create beneficial links among all of your change programs. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A wonderful resource
I have used this book as a text book in many Change Agent classes I have taught and have found it to be a very pragmatic and useful guide.It is a shame that it is out of print now. In fact, the last class I tought, I had to go scrounging around the office to find copies on bookshelves to use.I wish they would republish it.

Based on real experience,not just theories!
The list of consequences "when bad things happen to good projects" or What-NOT-To-Do is worth the price of the book. I wish I had read this book before starting my 6+ years as a consultant helping organizations to improve. This book presents most of the lessons that I've learned during those years and gives quite a few additional ideas on organization change.

Don't let the garish cover art distract you. This is a solidly good book, which I regularly recommend to my clients. Of course, I can't vouch for the Price Waterhouse consulting group's ability to get clients to change successfully or whether they even follow their own advice. I just know that I do apply the best ideas in this book (plus some of my own) in my consulting practice.

Outstanding book to help your organization achieve change
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.Easy to read and it truly made sense.We are just beginning an effort to change our organization and this book has helped us plot our course.I am encouraged that this book will help usachieve positive change for our company and employees.

Excellent! Practical advice, broad scope.
If you're trying to figure out why a project isn't going well, this book just may solve your problem.It takes you through the basics of change mangement, and makes you aware of just what you're dealing with.Good,practical advice that made me wear out a highlighter.When I showed it toother IS people on our Oracle software implementation project, they said"that's us"!!!We didn't realize we were in the middle of achange project - now we can try to take a step back and regroup. ... Read more

Book Description

Solutions......No Problem. When you need to discover what works at work, here is a powerful yet subtle approach that gets right to the heart of change in people, teams, and organizations.By placing the focus squarely on what's working, rather than on what's wrong, THE SOLUTIONS FOCUS delivers a radically pragmatic and refreshing new way for anyone in the workplace to create their preferred future--now! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Yes, Yes, and Yes
More than 15 years ago, I picked up a copy of Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury and was immediately excited by their ideas and the thought of applying these concepts in the field.

I felt the same attraction and enthusiasm while reading The Solutions Focus last month. The logic and ethics of the approach are refreshing and, unfortunately all too rare in the corporate world where I do most of my work. It makes so much sense to identify and work with what works. Also, I greatly admire the fact that an essential foundation of the approach is based on respect for the human being as a knowledgeable individual, who is capable of making intelligent changes, rather than a cog in a system to be manipulated and disdained for not embracing inherently irrational changes which are forced upon him.

Not only do I welcome working with this kind of positive energy but, I see time and time again that it actually does work. The kind of dialogue that SF fosters is constructive, rewarding and democratic.

In my work as an independent consultant in management, negotiation, creativity and intercultural issues, I have tapped somewhat similar methods of interaction. SF creates a wonderful coherent whole which I'm excited about applying.

The skeleton key that unlocks solutions - an enjoyable read
This innovative book could be the skeleton key that unlocks the solutions to many of your organisational, team or managerial problems.

The authors effectively challenge the old paradigm of "cause and effect" as the best approach to problem solving, demonstrating instead a "theory of no theory" in which every case is treated on its merits. They draw on their extensive experience as consultants and trainers in large companies in the UK and abroad, revealing an approach that has clearly proved inspirational to their clients.

In organisations, they argue, no problem happens all the time, so try focussing first on those times when things are going well. Do more of what you have identified that works, and see what happens.

People in organisations constantly rise to challenges, providing evidence of "counters" - go