Leap in the Dark, book, cover, Toby Elwin, blog

A Leap in the Dark by the book

Toby Elwin, A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic by Jon Ferling

Any talk about change management must start with stakeholder alignment.

Quick on any change-rule heels is risk identification.

History provides truly great examples of change challenges and few resonate greater in my mind than The American Revolution.

The players: 13 colonies and their self-interests as well as the class war within each colony; France, Spain, Great Britain; Native American Indians; commerce; and government as a few dynamics. When you think your enterprise has politics, reflect on some of the larger historical pivot points and the politics, people politics, involved.

First rule of change: creating a compelling future-state. Well, the birth of the American Republic blows that change management keystone theory for a loop.

I am 50% into this book and reread chapters with a change management hat on to try to keep track of the players [positive/negative stakeholders], key nuances to communication that many of today’s change folks can learn a lot from, and the constant tending that change needs just to take root.

Read More Books

See a more current set of books on my reading list heavy rotation page.

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