Meet Dick Axelrod, Author of Terms of Engagement (revised edition)
Organizational change pioneer Richard Axelrod explains why the old mechanistic approaches to change no longer work and offers four essential new principles that lead to an engaged organization: I. Widen the circle of involvement, II. Connect people to each other and ideas, III. Create communities for action, and IV. Practice democratic principles.
Drawing on numerous examples from such companies as Hewlett-Packard, Mercy Healthcare, First Union Bank, and others, Axelrod explains how the four principles of the Engagement Paradigm enable leaders to create energy and commitment instead of apathy and resistance. He then reveals how this system-wide commitment in turn fosters the energetic, flexible, responsive organizations necessary to thrive in the 21st century. Recognizing the potential for misapplication, he also shows how engagement can disengage, and identifies potential pitfalls to avoid.
Terms of Engagement shows leaders and change management consultants that, when they successfully employ the principles of the Engagement Paradigm, they can produce organizations in which
• People grasp the big picture, become aligned around a common purpose, and create new directions
• Accountability is fully distributed across the organization as people come to understand the whole system
• Broad participation quickly identifies performance gaps and their solutions, improving productivity, and customer satisfaction
• Creativity is sparked when people from all levels and functions-along with customers, suppliers, and other important stakeholders-contribute their best ideas
• Capacity for future changes increases as people develop the skills and processes to meet current and future challenges
Successful strategy implementation requires people at all levels of the organization who care about the outcomes and have the necessary ownership, commitment, and will to implement the plan. This practical guide offers innovative, practical guidance for bringing the entire organization to the level of engagement vital to successful change outcomes.
Susan Stamm's interview of Dick Axelrod is
available on Bookends Bookclub Podcasts
or you can hear a Flash Audio version of it here:
You may also want to watch Dick Axelrod's YouTube introduction to Terms of Engagement....
Susan Stamm's interview of Dick Axelrod is