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It Starts with One: Changing Individuals Changes Organizations

Black S., Gregersen H. (2008). 
It Starts with One: Changing Individuals Changes Organizations.
 Wharton School Publishing.
Book
Between 50-70% of organizational change initiatives fail. This means that many normally successful, motivation, and determined managers are nonetheless struggling to lead change effectively. This is because most managers mistakenly believe that organizational change is brought about by changing aspects of the organizations, such as its structure, IT infrastructure, or compensation systems. The reality is that organizations change only as much or as fast as individuals change. However, to change individual behavior, one first has to change the mental maps that guide that behavior.

There are three "brain barriers" that managers must break through if they are going to start, build up, and sustain needed change. These barriers cause people to fail to see the need for change, to fail to move even when they see the need, and to fail to finish even after they see the need and make some initial moves.

In It Starts with One, the authors outline both the causes of these three barriers and the tools and techniques for breaking through for success. This new edition includes more discussion of the challenges of making personal changes in order to lead strategic organizational changes. In addition, it focuses more on the challenges of leading change in an ever globalizing environment.

The book's approach means that the solutions the authors propose are always backed up with practical tools leaders can put to use immediately.

Faculty

Adjunct Professor of Global Leadership and Strategy