Ackerman-Anderson L., Anderson D. (2001) “The Change Leader’s Roadmap”, 304 p., San Francisco, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer

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Ackerman-Anderson L., Anderson D. (2001) “The Change Leader’s Roadmap”

Content of the book:

A change process model for leading conscious transformation.

(3 types of change: development, transition, transformation)

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The change process model is a fullstream process

Ackerman-Anderson L., Anderson D. (2001) “The Change Leader’s Roadmap”

Purpose of the author

• To support pragmatically the evolution of leaders and consultants to become successful transformational change leaders – conscious of what transformation requires and capable of providing it: Change Process Model for Leading Conscious Transformation

• The model is a thinking discipline, not a mandatory checklist.• “it is not a cookbook for how to orchestrate transformational

change. It is a guidance system for navigating the complexity and chaos of transformation in a conscious and thoughtful way. It is meant to support thinking. A template for conscious thinking about the options and how to proceed

• Need to discern what is needed, what can be skipped, and what should be tailored in the reality of a particular situation.

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Ackerman-Anderson L., Anderson D. (2001) “The Change Leader’s Roadmap”

Key learning points (1)• An organisation cannot transform without affecting people.• A critical condition for succes: designing a change strategy so that it

minimizes the negative impacts on people• The change strategy should position the leaders to respond

effectively to people’s reactions throughout the process: strategy, mechanisms and resources to handle people’s reactions

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Key Learning points (2)• By definition, transformational change is radically different from any other

leadership activity. It is fraught with uncertainties and surprises, and leaders cannot possibly know what to do from the beginning.

• Building commitment and alignment to the large businesess outcomes of the transformation and creating a solid case for change and shared vision is key. Create a “critical mass of support” for the change.

• consciously engaging in the process of learning and course correction• This stage is temporary and it requires temporary supports to enable and

accelerate the transformational process. Consequently, temporary structures, systems, policies and roles must be designed to handle the interim needs of he change and to balance its demands with ongoing operations.

• Allowing measures to change as course correction is required.• Your organisation’s transformation should be viewed and treated by the

people in the organization as one effort – the process of getting from where the organization currently is to where it chooses to be. Unify individual initiatives under one transformational umbrella.

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Key lessons• Importance of a clear vision• Importance of availability of resources• Timeline and concrete course of action is an informed

guess, fraught with uncertainties and surprises• People’s reaction and adherence is key to success• The 3 first phases of the model (1. prepare to lead the change,

2) create organisational vision, commitment and capacity 3) assess the situation to determine design requirements) are the foundations of succes. (the book spends 100 out of 304 pages on 1.)

• Leaders should walk the change• Communication, communication, communication

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EvaluationI score this book as a 5 (very good)

• It is a rather complete, with emphasis on people• It is a roadmap and a workbook: gives pragmatic and

concrete questionnaires, checklists etc. for each of the phases

• You pick what is appropriate to actual situation• Reads easily, is concise and clear

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Ackerman-Anderson L., Anderson D. (2001) “The Change Leader’s Roadmap”