ACRIP
Real Time Strategic Change
Book

Real Time Strategic Change

How to Involve an Entire Organization in Fast and Far-Reaching Change

Robert W. Jacobs
Berrett-Koehler, 1997
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

Consultant Robert W. Jacobs walks you through his "Real Time Strategic Change" program, which, he explains, has been successfully implemented in numerous companies and organizations. He discusses how and why it works, and points out why other commonly used change strategies don’t. Although the book achieves its mission nicely, it gets bogged down by continuous, detailed examples of each step in the process, which provide little in the way of illumination. His excellent guidelines for change still manage to shine through. getAbstract recommends this book to all those who are or will be involved with implementing individual, group or organization-wide change.

Summary

Inclusion Equals Effective Change

Most organizational change efforts fall short because those who are most interested in and affected by the changes are not included in either planning or implementing them. It’s not enough to gather people together for a big meeting to hear someone else tell them how they are going to be doing business differently in the future. Instead, the hundreds or often thousands of people who work at an organization facing change must be completely involved in the change effort. Change happens faster when everyone involved has been instrumental in creating the overall change strategy, can actively participate in it, and feels aligned with it.

The "Real Time Strategic Change" plan will work in small and large organizations. Four kinds of people should be involved in organizational change:

  1. Organizational leaders and members who want to speed up the pace and effectiveness with which changes are implemented
  2. External and internal consultants responsible for supporting change initiatives
  3. Experts in organizational strategy, culture, total quality management, work design and re-engineering

About the Author

Robert W. Jacobs  is a partner in 5 Oceans, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in organization-wide transformation. His publications include articles and case studies on strategic change and its application. He lives in Chelsea, Michigan.

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