Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change

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Summary: Invaluable missing link in organisational change management
Review: As CEO of an organisation that lost 3/4 of its income due to government policy changes, and 3/4 of staff made redundant, this book proved a godsend. Not only did it reinforce what steps I had already taken to reinvent the business before we went out of business, but it also provided further practical advice on additional steps I and we should be taking to make the transition from the 'old' to the 'new' focus. Importantly it then it addressed strategies for continuing to manage constant change. So it helped us over the immediate crisis, and also will give useful support in the future. This book is an invaluable resource for the individual or organisation that exists in a volatile marketplace (and who doesn't?). It stresses the critical 'soft' management skills that are often overlooked, wheras many other texts address the structural process of change alone.

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Summary: This is an excellent work that can guide one through change
Review: At 50 years of age, having served two previous Governor's as a department director, I learned I was not being re-appointed by the newly elected Governor. I knew I would survive, but fear was a daily feeling. My brother referred Dr. Bridges's book to me. I read it in two days. I found this book to be one of the most helpful I have ever read. I have a MSW degree, but never heard anyone describe "transition" as he has. It was "right on the money!" Since reading the book I have informed colleagues and friends about it. I purchased three copies for friends who are going through difficult times. In every case they have said how much this book helped them. It is worth reading any time, but especially if you are undergoing a change in your life and you don't understand the reason you feel so strange.

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Summary: The first change management book I've found.
Review: Being an IT consultant, two of my main concerns are Project Management and Change Resistance. The combination of these two usually helps or dooms a project. "Managing Transitions" is the first book I have read that focuses on HOW to deal with change, instead of staying only in the WHAT should change, or WHY change is necessary.

In summary, "Managing Transitions" divides change into beginning, transition, and closure. It also suggests taking people's feelings into account, and giving them as much information as can be given, in order to get the trust of the ones going through change.

It gets four stars because in most chapters it talks about upper management as knowing exactly what has to be done, and it is only at the end that it acknowledges they may be wrong too. Since this is a book directed to managers, that is understandable. Most of its focus is in showing superiors how to lead their subordinates through change. However, it also devotes one chapter to explain how to deal with personal change.

With 125 pages, it is easy to read. In this "Who Moved my Cheese?" age, Bridges book is getting much less attention than it deserves.

Rating:
Summary: The first change management book I've found.
Review: Being an IT consultant, two of my main concerns are Project Management and Change Resistance. The combination of these two usually helps or dooms a project. "Managing Transitions" is the first book I have read that focuses on HOW to deal with change, instead of staying only in the WHAT should change, or WHY change is necessary.

In summary, "Managing Transitions" divides change into beginning, transition, and closure. It also suggests taking people's feelings into account, and giving them as much information as can be given, in order to get the trust of the ones going through change.

It gets four stars because in most chapters it talks about upper management as knowing exactly what has to be done, and it is only at the end that it acknowledges they may be wrong too. Since this is a book directed to managers, that is understandable. Most of its focus is in showing superiors how to lead their subordinates through change. However, it also devotes one chapter to explain how to deal with personal change.

With 125 pages, it is easy to read. In this "Who Moved my Cheese?" age, Bridges book is getting much less attention than it deserves.

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Summary: Durable Insights...Practical Suggestions
Review: I read this book when it was first published (1991) and recently re-read it, curious to see how well Bridges' ideas have held up since then. They remain rock-solid. His objective is to suggest how to "make the most of change" and heaven knows there have been so many major changes, both global and local, in recent years. I expect the nature and number of such turmoil to increase significantly, and, to occur at an ever-accelerating velocity. I also expect Bridges' observations and suggestions to remain valid. Perhaps at some point he will revise this book to accommodate certain changes such as the emergence of what Pink calls "the free agent nation." The book's materiel is carefully organized within four Parts:

The Problem [Bridges provides "a new and useful perspective on the difficulties ahead" and then a test case which illustrates that perspective]

The Solutions [Bridges suggests all manner of ways to apply what is learned from the previous Part]

Dealing with Nonstop Change in the Organization and Your Life [Bridges suggests a number of strategies by which to cope with rapid change, both organizationally and personally]

In 1991, Bridges was convinced that it is impossible to achieve any desired objectives without getting to "the personal stuff"; the challenge is to get people to stop doing whatever "the old way" and that cannot be accomplished impersonally. He was also convinced that transition management requires experience and abilities we already possess as when we struggle, for example, to "figure out a tactful response in a difficult situation." However, the strategies of transition management he suggests may require mastery of certain techniques which we "can easily learn." Presumably Bridges remains convinced today of these same basic points even as new applications and (yes) complications have revealed themselves.

For whom will this book be most valuable? Given the nature and extent of organizational change, I would include everyone engaged (voluntarily or involuntarily) in those changes...at least everyone at the management level. Also, service providers such bankers, attorneys, accountants, bankers, executive recruiters, and management consultants such as I who are directly associated with those organizations. On several occasions, Drucker has brilliantly discussed the challenge of managing a future which has already occurred but perhaps has not as yet been recognized. I agree with him that that is indeed a major challenge. One of Bridges' key points seems to be that it is not only possible but imperative to manage effectively the transition from a current situation to a desired destination. It is not always possible to "manage change" but I agree with Bridges that it IS possible to formulate and then manage an appropriate response to it. Those who share my high regard for this book are encouraged to read (if they have not already done so) Bridges' previous work, Transitions, as well as O'Toole's Managing Change, Katzenbach's Real Change Leaders, and finally, The Manager as Change Agent co-authored by Quatro, Hoekstra, Whittle, Gilley, and Maycunich.

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Summary: Well-Written, Well-Packaged, But Not Innovative to Me
Review: I took a College Sophomore class in Industrial/Organizational Psychology in 1979, and the text was EXTREMELY dry and technical. However, it contained many of the ideas contained in the book being reviewed. Bridges has taken that dry, technical theory, re-written it in user-friendly language, and incorporated concepts from script theory (see Joan Atwood's highly repetitive but informative "Family Scripts") and from developmental theory (see Sandor Brent's very theoretical but informative "Psychological and Social Structures"). The result is a light, very readable book on how people handle change. For someone who has not studied psychology, much of the information will be new and helpful. For anyone in the field of psychology, and especially those who have studied industrial/organizational psychology and developmental psychology, there is nothing innovative here. There are lots of good quotes in the margins, and they might be the best part of this book.

Christian McCallister, Ph.D., L.P., Clinical Psychologist

Rating:
Summary: crap
Review: if you think this book is good, then you are bad.

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Summary: Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change
Review: Leading a full-time staff of 20 people and over a 1000 volunteers, and having read a number of books on change, I have found William Bridges book extremely helpful. Many talk about change without thinking about the people that change can effect. William helps us understand that change is situational, while transition is emotional. He puts flesh and bones on change.

This book is well organized, breaking down transition into three phases. Phase I: "The Letting Go Stage", Phase II: "The Neutral Zone" and Phase III: "The New Beginning" In each phase William helps us understand what to anticipate and gives us extremely practical advice and checklists.

I also enjoy the awesome quotes throughout the book. Here are some great qoutes from Phase II:

"It's not so much that we're afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it's the place inbetween that we fear... It's like being between trapezes." Marilyn Ferguson

"It takes nine months to have a baby, no matter how many people you can put on the job." American saying

"An adventure is only an inconvience rightly understood. An inconvience is only an adventure wrongly understood." C.K. Chesterton

Get the book. It is well worth your investment. It will help you with your greatest asset: PEOPLE.

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Summary: Best book available about leading change
Review: Makes the important distinction between change and transition. I've bought hundreds of copies for my clients.

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Summary: Managing Transtions through people
Review: The book underlines the fact that while change may be planned, systemic and structural actions taken by the managers and decision makers within the organizations, it?s the transition within the employees? mind that actually dictates the realization of desired objectives of change. The book is a step-wise guide to managing the transition in employees mind.

Managing transition involves helping people through three phases; letting go the old ways, going through the in-between when the old is gone and new is not fully operational and the new beginning phase. Author clearly delineates challenges and provides strategies for addressing employee emotional needs while experiencing these phases. The strategies focus on addressing four Ps: The Purpose (beat the problem), The Picture (of envisioned tomorrow), The Plan (resources, schedule etc.) and finally the Part for each player.

Author has very lucidly mapped the transition challenges as the organisation goes through its seven stages of life cycle (as he puts it) ie: Dreaming the Dream. Launching a Venture, Getting Organized, Becoming an Institution, Closing in and Dying. He also provides some management guidelines to make organizations break the cycle and move towards organisation renewal instead of closing-in.

In a very informative manner, author describes the most important steps, the planned steps and the blunders in managing transitions, using case studies. Comparing self analysis of the cases with the proposed solution forces reflection and facilitate understanding and imbibing of concepts.

The book can be viewed as a learning guide for all managers involved in initiating, planning and managing initiatives. The book is refreshingly different from the ?prescriptive model- centric? change management books. The gain for the reader would be decided by his ability to work with the book, than pick it for an arm-chair reading.