About the book
Balancing Acts is about organizational change. It offers consultants and managers a simple, powerful way to think about change, and describes a four-phase iterative process for implementing change. The book is full of examples of change initiatives in different types of organizations, and confronts head-on the problems and pitfalls that often arise. Conklin explains why organizational change can be so difficult, and shows that by balancing a set of competing psychological and systemic challenges interveners will increase their chance of success.
Conklin shows that human groups function as complex systems, and that a change initiative is not a linear progression toward a predefined conclusion. Instead, change is an iterative process that involves a search for feasible and useful solutions. The book’s central argument is that while leading or supporting this search, consultants and leaders must balance four critical concerns. They must balance confrontation with compassion, participation with observation, assertion with inquiry, and planfulness with emergence.
Editions of Balancing Acts
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781487540272
- EBook
- ISBN 9781487540296
- PDF
- ISBN 9781487540289
Read an Excerpt
Balancing Acts is about organizational change. It offers consultants and managers a simple, powerful way to think about change, and describes a four-phase iterative process for implementing change. The book is full of examples of change initiatives in different types of organizations, and confronts head-on the problems and pitfalls that often arise. Conklin explains why organizational change can be so difficult, and shows that by balancing a set of competing psychological and systemic challenges interveners will increase their chance of success.
Conklin shows that human groups function as complex systems, and that a change initiative is not a linear progression toward a predefined conclusion. Instead, change is an iterative process that involves a search for feasible and useful solutions. The book’s central argument is that while leading or supporting this search, consultants and leaders must balance four critical concerns. They must balance confrontation with compassion, participation with observation, assertion with inquiry, and planfulness with emergence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Balancing Acts about?
Balancing Acts is about organizational change. It offers consultants and managers a simple, powerful way to think about change, and describes a four-phase iterative process for implementing change. The book is full of examples of change initiatives in different types of organizations, and confronts head-on the problems and pitfalls that often arise. Conklin explains why organizational change can be so difficult, and shows that by balancing a set of competing psychological and systemic challenges interveners will increase their chance of success.
Conklin shows that human groups function as complex systems, and that a change initiative is not a linear progression toward a predefined conclusion. Instead, change is an iterative process that involves a search for feasible and useful solutions. The book’s central argument is that while leading or supporting this search, consultants and leaders must balance four critical concerns. They must balance confrontation with compassion, participation with observation, assertion with inquiry, and planfulness with emergence.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Balancing Acts?
Economics, Finance, Business and Management > Business and Management > Business strategy
Where can I read a sample of Balancing Acts?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781487540272
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Balancing Acts?
James Conklin
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Balancing Acts is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781487540272) and ebook(ISBN 9781487540296) and pdf(ISBN 9781487540289)
Where can I buy Balancing Acts online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Balancing Acts from below
Where can I buy Balancing Acts?