Book Review
CHANGE
And The Strategic Imperative
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Shaping the Future by William P. Belgard and Steven R. Rayner Published by AMACOM Price: U.S. $27.95 Pages: 224 |
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"Megadigm is a fundamental and pervasive shift that alters how managers must lead. The idea is to create products that meet the subconscious wants and needs-fulfilling qualities that please the customer in ways he never before imagined." |
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been reading a book singularly appropriate to CHANGE and to the Company
behind this house organ. Shaping the Future, by William P. Belgard and
Steven R. Rayner, presents a dynamic process for creating and achieving a
company’s strategic vision through the magic of change. For a change
initiative to succeed, the company has above all else to determine its
strategic imperative. Shaping the Future offers a step-by-step process for
determining the company’s strategic imperative — “the focal point and
originator of every element in the company’s transformation — and laying
the background for a future that will flow from it.”
What gives the book a special significance is that the authors depart from
classic theories of change to profound insights into
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Turning “an epidemic of change-aversion” into the “pro-change flu” — and propagating a culture that not only expects change, but accepts and embraces it. |
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Instilling a belief in achieving the goals that must be achieved — regardless of technical or organisational barriers. |
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Creating a “fellowship of change agents” who learn by doing, constantly upgrading their skills and methods in real interaction with the clients they serve. |
These are accompanied by equally deep changes in the basic philosophies
and practices of companies all over the world. The authors call this new
reality the emerging “megadigm”, a powerful force or forces from rapid
technological and societal change to customers’ ever-growing demand for
value. B.K. Karanjia
The most destructive habit - Worry
Our greatest natural resource - Our youth
The worst thing to be
without - Hope
Via e-mail
Unfortunately, in the case of several companies, the number of change
initiatives are so many that they dilute and blur the company’s focus
with the result that many initiatives remain unimplemented. On the other
hand, the authors give several examples of companies that have gained by
simple and even obvious changes — as successfully achieved by Boeing
(the aircraft with millions of spare parts) from a stationary build
set-up to a moving assembly line, which was a breakthrough in aircraft
manufacturing. In fact, it turned out to be the world’s longest moving
assembly line!
Megadigm is a fundamental and pervasive shift that alters how managers
must lead. The idea is to create products that meet the subconscious
wants and needs-fulfilling qualities that please the customer in ways he
never before imagined. “Indeed, megadigm is an advance upon Six Sigma in
its goal of profoundly affecting the customer in the next quality
battleground. It resurrects the entrepreneurial spirit by a culture of
continuous change and change for the better.”
The emphasis throughout the book is on fellowship. The tendency in
fellowship is one of two extremes — you either do it going through each
phase of the change effort or you depend on external consultants to help
you do it. The authors prefer the middle ground — training employees in
tools and techniques for supporting the change, thus creating a
fellowship of internal change agents with the range to spread the
message among fellowship employees in which managers share knowledge and
information about individual change efforts with other managers and
workers. Under ideal circumstances each employee would come to believe
that change is growth and when the company grows, the country grows with
it.
The entrepreneur’s spirit itself is fired by values — values such as
telling the truth, being fair in all business dealings, respecting the
individual in each worker, encouraging and feeding the worker’s
curiosity. As David Saggs, who transformed the Harley Owner’s Group
(then the Harley Davidson Ecostar Company), puts it: “It was an easy
transition to Harley Davidson because the foundation of values were so
consistent with what I believe. My job is to reinforce the values every
day.” The process of practising these values ensures that everyone in
the company has the obligation to provide inputs which give him a share
of belonging.
The ultimate is to bring about a culture which links the spirit of the
entrepreneur with the tenacity of disciplined execution. This may lead
managers to shed many of their deeply inclined bureaucratic habits
through a process of “unlearning”. Change not only calls for hard work,
willingness to take risks and disciplined execution, it also requires
leaders who are willing to overcome their own personal fears and unlearn
past habits in order to shape their organisation’s future. The authors
end on a note of optimism: “The future in your industry will be decided
by someone — why not by you? Why be satisfied with reacting to what
others have done, when you have set the agenda that they will follow?
The future will happen, but will it happen to you or because of you?
Ultimately the choice is yours.”
The greatest joy - Giving
The greatest loss - Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work - Helping others
The ugliest personality trait - Selfishness
The most endangered species - Dedicated leaders
The greatest “shot in the arm” - Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome - Fear
The most effective sleeping pill - Peace of mind
The most crippling failure/disease - Excuses
The world’s most incredible computer - The brain
The deadliest weapon - The tongue
The two most power-filled words - “I can”
The most powerful force in life - Love
The greatest asset - Faith
The most worthless emotion -
Self-pity
The most beautiful attire - A smile
The most prized possession - Integrity
The most contagious spirit - Enthusiasm
The most powerful channel of communication - Prayer
The greatest gift - You!
