What’s new in the world of change management in 2018? Here are 10 top change management books that represent the best of the best.
Staying up to date with what is new in the world of organizational change management can be time consuming. If you want to stay on top of the trends, check out these top change management books published in 2018. They represent the best of the best thinking in change for leaders and managers alike.
Everyone knows that change management is hard, which is why about 70% of change initiatives fail. As the world continues to experience exponential disruptive change, the topic of “change” has become dramatically more important.
“Change management” itself has matured as an industry, with academics and business leaders now having heated debates about the future of the field. So how do you cut through the noise and find the information that’s right for you and your business?
I constantly scan the literature and have been keeping an eye out for the best books on the subject. Here’s a list of the top change management books of the first half of 2018:
Next Is Now: 5 Steps for Embracing Change―Building a Business that Thrives into the Future by Lior Arussy
Next Is Now is Lior Arussy’s new book on organizational change. Arussy is the founder of Strativity Group, a New York based consultancy focusing on organizational performance and how it affects customer advocacy and loyalty. Strativity’s clients include Mercedes-Benz, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Thomson Reuters, HSBC, E.ON, and FedEx. In his new book, Arussy outlines the key steps for embracing change in order to build a business that thrives and can drive future growth.
Detonate: Why – And How – Corporations Must Blow Up Best Practices (and bring a beginner’s mind) To Survive by Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach
Detonate is a great read for leaders who realize they need to shift their mindset to run a successful business. This book promises to teach you why it’s no longer enough to rely on historical ‘best practices’, and why you’ve got to bring a beginner’s mind to your change efforts. This book comes highly rated, and has received accolades from the CEOs of Verizon and Levi Strauss & Co.
Conscious Capitalism Field Guide: Tools for Transforming Your Organization by Raj Sisodia, Timothy Henry, and Thomas Eckschmidt
The Conscious Capitalism Field Guide is written as a follow-up to the hugely successful book Conscious Capitalism by Whole Food’s CEO John Mackey and leadership expert Raj Sisodia. The book provides actionable advice to leaders looking to transform their businesses to make more than just money. The book includes case studies and hands-on materials–the same tools used in companies such as Whole Foods Market, Southwest Airlines, Life is Good, The Container Store, Barry-Wehmiller, and Zappos. Another must read if you’re looking for an inspiring kick in the pants on the road to successful change.
Building A Winning Culture In Government: A Blueprint for Delivering Success in the Public Sector by Patrick R. Leddin and Shawn D. Moon
Building a Winning Culture In Government may seem like a niche topic, but the lessons outlined in this book can offer insights for business professionals in all industries. Many change management gurus and professionals often say that change starts with the leadership – and then avoid going into detail about how to make change happen. This book outlines how to change things you can actually control.
Organizational Synergy – A Practical Guide: Re-calibrate Interactions to Achieve Peak Engagement, Productivity & Profit by Dr. Rami Ben-Yshai
Dr. Rami Ben-Yshai is a consultant on organizational change and leadership with over 30 years of experience. In his book Organizational Synergy, he outlines in a series of practical lessons the steps necessary to re-enforce connections between leaders, managers and employees and improve employee engagement and satisfaction while increasing customer loyalty and driving transformational change. Like the title says, it’s all about synergy.
Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership by Michael Ventura
Michael Ventura, CEO and founder of the strategy and design firm Sub Rosa, works with some of the world’s best known brands (like GE, Marriott, Nike). In his book Applied Empathy, Ventura makes a case for why empathy is so important for businesses and leaders, and why it is absolutely essential if you want to bring about lasting change.
Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement by Jacqueline M. Stavros and Cheri Torres
Conversations can be either constructive, or destructive. When they are the later, they can tear organizations apart and make it impossible to succeed. When they are constructive, they can help drive business change and create a legacy. Conversations Worth Having is a book based on a methodology called Appreciative Inquiry (AI) which focused on how to tap into strengths to drive change.
The Excellence Dividend: Meeting the Tech Tide with Work That Wows and Jobs That Last by Tom Peters
Tom Peters is a legend in the management field. He is the co-author of In Search of Excellence, a book that forever changed the way the world thinks about business. In this new book, Peters gives guidelines for how to face the shifting tide of business and management when it comes to changes in technology and demographics.
Business Chemistry: Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships by Kim Christfort and Suzanne Vickberg
Business Chemistry provides an academically rigorous yet thoughtfully practical model for any business leader working with or managing a diverse workforce. In this book, Christfort and Vickberg outline how to create a work environment where all types of people excel, even if they have conflicting perspectives, preferences and needs.
Future First: How Successful Leaders Turn Innovation Challenges into New Value Frontiers by Alice Mann
Written by former vice president at JPMorgan Chase, Alice Mann, the key lesson that Mann brings in this book is a call to action: adopt a future first leadership mindset or risk being beaten by the competition. Case studies include stories from leaders at Unilever, Etsy, and Revolution Foods, among others.
There’s a lot of noise out there when it comes to organizational change. Pick up one of these book and you’re sure to get some helpful guidance while navigating the uncertainty of today’s disruptive world.
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