Explains why some of the most promising corporation changes fail, challenges previous management standards, and offers tips on how to inspire a workforce

"5 stars: Exceptional, a must read for any manager or leader" —Sarah Stocks, Chartered Management Institute (CMI) "This book is a highly effective, meaningful and user-friendly guide for anyone trying to manage change in a modern organisation today" —inManagement magazine "If you are looking for a book to give you some hints and tips as to how to manage change better, this will be able to do this. [...] There are some great insights for anyone who is responsible for leading change" —Kyomi Wade, Dialogue Review Real stories from real CEOs on implementing successful change initiatives in any organization Change is difficult. In large organizations with established cultures, managing change can be one of the biggest challenges for business leaders and managers. Using a wealth of real stories from real CEOs on how they managed major change initiatives—and the lessons they learned along the way—Change Lessons from a CEO gives professionals and business students powerful and effective guidance on successfully managing change initiatives in any organization. The book's uniquely flexible approach lets readers build their own models for change based on their unique organizational structure, culture, and situation. Throughout, the book emphasizes the importance of authenticity in the change leader's role and how to manifest that authenticity throughout a change initiative. With examples and case studies from multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, and small and medium-size businesses, this book is a valuable tool for leaders of any organization of any size. Offers real-world insight from CEOs and leaders Ideal for CEOs, managers, leaders of non-profit organizations, consultants, and students in business programs Includes case studies and first-hand accounts of successful change initiatives in a wide range of businesses and organizations of all sizes Change is inevitable. Managing change initiatives successfully can be the difference between organizations and teams that thrive and those that come apart at the seams. For business leaders and students, this book offers practical and proven guidance for doing change right.

Too many organizations today play follow the leader: the commander articulates a “vision” and people uncritically go along with it. But this type of leadership—what Dean Williams calls "counterfeit leadership"—generates an unhealthy dependence on an authority figure and relies on dominance, control, and group seduction to get things done. By hampering people's ability to anticipate and react to changing circumstances, it creates a self-limiting cycle. And if the leader's vision is flawed, the entire organization suffers. The true task of a leader, Williams argues, is to get people to face the reality of any situation themselves and develop strategies to deal with problems or take advantage of opportunities. Real leaders don't dictate; they help people face their challenges and make adjustments in their values, habits, practices, and priorities to ensure the enterprise is given its best chance to succeed. Williams details how to apply this new approach to the challenges every organization or community faces. Throughout, he demonstrates the practical application of real leadership in the real world through examples from his own experiences working with organizations as diverse as the government of Singapore, Aetna Life and Casualty, and the nomadic Penan tribe in Borneo, as well as historical examples and the insights gleaned from his many interviews with presidents, prime ministers, and business leaders. At a time when so many “visionary” leaders have led their organizations to disaster, Real Leadership offers a needed, proven alternative.

However long we've been Christians, we all have areas of our lives that need transforming. This six-session course helps churches and Christian groups pursue biblical, heart-focused change. Based on CCEF's, "Dynamics of Biblical Change," Real Change is ideal for anyone who wants to grow to be more like Jesus.

Lead from the Outside is a necessary guide to harnessing the strengths of being an outsider by Stacey Abrams, one of the most prominent black female politicians in the U.S. Leadership is hard. Convincing others—and often yourself—that you possess the answers and are capable of world-affecting change requires confidence, insight, and sheer bravado. Stacey Abrams's Lead from the Outside is the handbook for outsiders, written with the awareness of the experiences and challenges that hinder anyone who exists beyond the structure of traditional white male power—women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and millennials ready to make a difference. In Lead from the Outside, Stacey Abrams argues that knowing your own passion is the key to success, regardless of the scale or target. From launching a company, to starting a day care center for homeless teen moms, to running a successful political campaign, finding what you want to fight for is as critical as knowing how to turn thought into action. Stacey uses her experience and hard-won insights to break down how ambition, fear, money, and failure function in leadership, while offering personal stories that illuminate practical strategies. Stacey includes exercises to help you hone your skills and realize your aspirations. She discusses candidly what she has learned over the course of her impressive career: that differences in race, gender, and class are surmountable. With direction and dedication, being in the minority actually provides unique and vital strength, which we can employ to rise to the top and make real change.

Business leaders need more than a fancy project plan or process when facing change, whether running a multi-billion dollar corporation or a small company. They need to be armed with the courage and practical advice it will take to blaze new trails and prosper both financially and emotionally. Author Donna Strother Highfill calls leaders of this caliber "Change Warriors." In Real People, Real Change, Highfill offers a behavioral map to guide change warriors through the complex and often confusing maze of change in the business world. At times, even the best leaders need guidance and inspiration to tackle tough situations in their company's culture. Highfill offers sound advice, humorous stories, and dynamic change lessons for any business leader faced with making meaningful changes within a company. Business leaders must understand that change is seldom neat, clean, or easy. If it is, notes Highfill, then it isn't real change. She believes people want to change, they just need to know why, what, and how. She calls this "learning to inform the head, engage the heart, and put your feet into action." This is the key to successful and lasting change.

From the ill-fated dot-com bubble to unprecedented merger and acquisition activity to scandal, greed, and, ultimately, recession -- we've learned that widespread and difficult change is no longer the exception. By outlining the process organizations have used to achieve transformational goals and by identifying where and how even top performers derail during the change process, Kotter provides a practical resource for leaders and managers charged with making change initiatives work.