View Change as an Opportunity, Not an Obstacle

The other day, I picked up a little book called The Top Performers Guide to Change: Essential Skills That Put You on Top.  If you’ve read my book 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations, you know that I am interested in high performance.  Effective change management is often one of the biggest impediments to high performance. 

In The Top Performers Guide to Change, authors Tim Ursiny and Barbara Kay do a good job of summing up important ideas about change and change management in a concise manner.  The book’s seven chapters are only 116 pages – perfect airplane reading.  At the end of each chapter, Dr. Ursiny (or Dr. Tim as he refers to himself) and Ms. Kay provide several reflection questions that help readers apply the points in the chapter to their personal situations. 

For example, Chapter 4, Increasing Your Luck During Times of Change, ends with these reflection questions:

• When was the last time you felt really lucky?  What did you believe or feel at the time that might have added to your luck?  What actions did you take that may have increased your luck?
• Think of a situation that you are avoiding that could possibly create some great opportunity for you.  What step could you take toward that opportunity?
• How might you apply the concepts of immunization, rebound, hardiness and adaptability (all discussed in the chapter) to train yourself in building psychological immunity to the effects of change?

I like this approach, as it encourages active involvement on the part of the reader.  Books, by their very nature, are an asynchronous form of communication.  By including these reflection questions, Dr. Ursiny and Ms. Kay do their best to engage the reader and get him or her to take action.

I also liked the Appendix.  In the introduction to the Appendix, Dr. Ursiny and Ms. Kay say:

• “In this Appendix we bring together the most important elements in each chapter to help you create a plan for dealing with change.  We have written this Appendix to mirror the chapters in the book so that you can return to that chapter if you need clarification or more information.”

Readers with little time might want to begin with the Appendix as it highlights the important points of each chapter and is a guide for creating a personal plan for dealing with important changes. 

In short, The Top Performers Guide to Change is a nice little book.  It is a concise guide to treating change as an opportunity and not an obstacle.  It’s a quick read, that’s well worth your time -- especially if you are dealing with change in your life and career.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming a success in your life and career.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Comments

[Ina Matijevic]

Mr. Bilanich, I have found very beautiful web site.
http://www.locksoflove.org

It is about donating hair for children under 18 years old who suffered of hair loss due to medical treatment of any diagnosis.

Kind regards,
Ina