The Dance of Change The Challenges of Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations : A Fifth Discipline Resource Reprinted

by Peter M. Senge

Since Peter Senge published his groundbreaking book The Fifth Discipline, he and his associates have frequently been asked by the business "How do we go beyond the first steps of corporate change? How do we sustain momentum?" They know that companies and organizations cannot thrive today without learning to adapt their attitudes and practices. But companies that establish change initiatives discover, after initial success, that even the most promising efforts to transform or revitalize organizations--despite interest, resources, and compelling business results--can fail to sustain themselves over time. That's because organizations have complex, well-developed immune systems, aimed at preserving the status quo. Now, drawing upon new theories about leadership and the long-term success of change initiatives, and based upon twenty-five years of experience building learning organizations, the authors of The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook show how to accelerate success and avoid the obstacles that can stall momentum. The Dance of Change, written for managers and executives at every level of an organization, reveals how business leaders can work together to anticipate the challenges that profound change will ultimately force the organization to face. Then, in a down-to-earth and compellingly clear format, readers will learn how to build the personal and organizational capabilities needed to meet those challenges. These challenges are not imposed from the outside; they are the product of assumptions and practices that people take for granted--an inherent, natural part of the processes of change. And they can stop innovation cold, unless managers at all levels learn to anticipate them and recognize the hidden rewards in each challenge, and the potential to spur further growth. Within the frequently encountered challenge of "Not Enough Time," for example--the lack of control over time available for innovation and learning initiatives--lies a valuable opportunity to reframe the way people organize their workplaces. This book identifies universal challenges that organizations ultimately find themselves confronting, including the challenge of "Fear and Anxiety"; the need to diffuse learning across organizational boundaries; the ways in which assumptions built in to corporate measurement systems can handcuff learning initiatives; and the almost unavoidable misunderstandings between "true believers" and nonbelievers in a company. Filled with individual and team exercises, in-depth accounts of sustaining learning initiatives by managers and leaders in the field, and well-tested practical advice, The Dance of Change provides an insider's perspective on implementing learning and change initiatives at such corporations as British Petroleum, Chrysler, Dupont, Ford, General Electric, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, Mitsubishi Electric, Royal DutchShell, Shell Oil Company, Toyota, the United States Army, and Xerox. It offers crucial advice for line-level managers, executive leaders, internal networkers, educators, and others who are struggling to put change initiatives into practice.

Genres: Business, Management, Leadership, Nonfiction, Education, Historical Romance, Cultural

Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Peter M. Senge is a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also founding chair of the Society for Organizational Learning (SoL), a global community of corporations, researchers, and consultants dedicated to the "interdependent development of people and their institutions."
--from the author's website

Reviews

[Taha Zamirpour · Rating 4 out of 5]

تغيير پايدار از تحميل خواست به ديگران ناشي نمي شود . ترس مي تواند محرك بسياري از تغيي رات باشد، اما اين تغييرات عمري كوتاه دارند و فقط تا وقتي ترس وجود دارد، دوام مي آورند . تغييراتي كه افراد نسبت به آنها احساس تعهد دروني نمي كنند، تخيل، خواست خطر كردن، شكيبايي، پشتكار و نهايتًا يادگيري را كه هر تغيير عمده اي بي ترديد به آنها نياز دارد، به د نبال ندارند . معلم يا والدين اقتدارگرا ممكن است كودكي را به تغيير رفتار وادار كنند، اما تغيير فقط وقتي ماندگار مي شود كه كودك خودش مشتاق تغيير باشد . همان طور كه اومبرتو ماتورانا، تمام سيستم هاي زنده در مقابل اطاعت از اقتدار مقاو مت » زيست شناسي شيليايي، مي گويد حتي در سيستم هاي سياسي تماميت گرا كه اطاعت تحميل مي شود، مردم .« مي كنند همچنان به دنبال حوزه هايي اند كه در آن بتوانند استقلال خود را حفظ كنند.

[Uma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I have ever come across for managing Change... This is a book that would be critical for senior leadership teams, managers and change leaders. It talks about the 10 challenges during the various stages of Change.

A brilliant book full of lessons and workshop material - exercises that can be used on the go with your teams to help them learn not just to cope but to embrace change well.

[Tõnu Vahtra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit surprised that this book has so few reviews in Goodreads, maybe it has something to do with the fact that it was published more than 20 years ago and the "online generation" no longer reads old books. The "landscape" is very different compared to modern strategy/organizational change books, starting from the exampled companies: British Petroleum, Chrysler, Dupont, Ford, General Electric, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, Mitsubishi Electric, Royal DutchShell, Shell Oil Company, Toyota, the United States Army, and Xerox. The most valuable part of this book for me was that it made me look at some challenges from a different angle which seems to explain very well why many change initiatives are failing or fading away without producing lasting effects. In some parts it felt like modern organizational culture/change literature is trying to invent the wheel and sometimes they should go back to the classics more in order to provoke the required thinking. The most interesting point for me was the first challenge about time management: the key is to increase your control over time, unless there is increased control you cannot really sustain focus on any significant change effort. Also I made notes about the strategy and purpose gap and that all leader's responsibility is to create an environment that enables success.

"The problems that cause the failure of change projects cannot be solved by more expert
advice, better consultants or more committed managers, they stem from the most basic ways of thinking. Unless these change, new initiatives will only produce the same unproductive types of action. The fundamental problem is that most change initiatives deal only with growth processes and not with the limiting processes. We need to change our way of thinking so that we can understand the forces that impede progress and develop strategies for dealing with them."

"Senge acknowledges that leaders are critical in changing our way of thinking but calls for a different type of leadership. He is at pains to dispel the myth of the omnipotent 'hero-CEO' who 'drives' change from the top. Our obsession with the hero-CEO is, he says, a 'cultural addiction' that distracts us from building organisations that, by their very nature, continually adapt and reinvent themselves, and where leadership comes from many people in many places, not just from the top."

leadership is the capacity of a human community to shape its future and to sustain the processes of change required to do so.

COMFORT ZONE:
• things feel familiar and certain
• the work is controllable and predictable
• people feel comfortable and competent
• there is no threat to self esteem or identity
• there is a sense of belonging

VS PANIC ZONE (people confronted with change that they do not agree with, they freeze, won't change and won't learn):
• stress, worry and fear
• anger, irritation and annoyance
• sadness, hopelessness and apathy
• guilt and shame
• inadequacy and frustration

People need to be pushed out of their comfort zone to their discomfort zone where they are likely to change and learn how to do things differently.

THE CHALLENGES OF INITIATING CHANGE
"We don't have time for this stuff!" - The challenge of control over one's time. People involved in change initiatives need enough flexibility to devote time to reflection and practice.
"We have no help!" - The challenge of inadequate coaching, guidance and support for innovating groups.
"This stuff isn't relevant!" - The challenge of relevance: how to make a case for change, articulate an appropriate business focus, and show why new efforts, such as developing learning abilities, are relevant for business goals.
"They're not walking the talk!" - The challenge of management clarity and consistency: dealing with the mismatch between behavior and espoused values, especially for those championing change.

CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINING MOMENTUM
"This stuff is ______ ." The challenge of fear and anxiety: concerns about exposure, vulnerability, and inadequacy.
"This stuff isn't working!"- How to overcome negative assessment of progress stemming from the gap between the organisation's traditional way of measuring success and the achievements of a pilot group.
"We have the right way!" or "They don't understand us!" - The challenge of isolation and arrogance, which appears when the 'true believers' within the pilot group confront their non-believer counterparts outside the group; the pilot group and the rest of the organisation consistently misinterpret each other.

CHALLENGES OF REDESIGNING AND RETHINKING
"Who's in charge of this stuff?" - The challenge of the prevailing governance structure; conflicts between pilot groups seeking greater autonomy and managers concerned about autonomy, leading to chaos and internal fragmentation.
"We keep reinventing the wheel!" - The challenge of diffusion, the inability to transfer knowledge across organisational boundaries, making it difficult for people around the organisation to build upon each other's successes.
"Where are we going?" and "What are we here for?" - The challenge of organisational
strategy and purpose: revitalizing and rethinking the organisation's business focus, its
contribution to its community, and its identity.

Five sets of questions one should ask when relating the challenges to his/her own circumstances:
1. Do I see the challenge in my situation? Am I aware of the forces that might be working counter to my efforts (and which might be invisible at first)?
2. Do I understand the nature of the challenge? How do I tend to see it? Can I see it differently? How do others see me when this challenge is encountered?
3. Who can best help me in understanding and dealing with this challenge? How might we help each other?
4. What would constitute effective action in dealing with this challenge? What capabilities might we want to develop?
5. How will I know if I am making progress? All courses of action need to be continually assessed but most people when acting stop paying attention to what is going on around them. Don't lose sight of the effects you are having, including those on the periphery of your attention.

The authors' ultimate message is that we should stop thinking about preparing a few people for 'the top' and start nurturing the potential for leaders at all levels to participate in shaping new realities. Maybe that way we can stop so many expensive change initiatives running into the sand.

[Bob Wallner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dance of Change is the third Peter Senge book I've listened to on audio, and like the Fifth Discipline and the Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, The Dance of Change is not an abridged audiobook. It's selected text read by a narrator and then interjection by the author.

Since this book was titled, The Dance of Change for Learning Organizations, I expected it to be a book on how to implement change within the parameters of a learning organization. What I found; however, was that this book focused on leading change, any change initiative, within an organization.

My first response when I listened to this audiobook was that the authors were making this an overly complex process. Upon reflecting on the book, I realized that trying to change an organization it is complicated. Unlike other books by this author, the Dance of Change spends a substantial amount of time discussing what is going on with Japanese organizations. TQM was becoming recognized throughout the world, and Toyota was leading the way.

John Kotter is known as being an expert on change management. I have read or listened to many of Kotter’s books. I don't know if the change methods described in this book are better or worse than Kotter’s, but Senge is more humble in his approach than Kotter which, for me, makes this a better read.

[Tsetsen Dashtseren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it from cover to cover. I haven't come across many books specifically focused on managing change. This one was the only book I found, written from the perspective of the challenges involved in managing change. The book is a comprehensive resource for anyone in a management position. While some information may feel a bit outdated, the book remains rich in insights that are highly valuable for managers and people working in consulting industry.

It's not the kind of book that you read once, and put on a shelf, and forget. It's the kind of book that calls for continuous study and reflection.

[DAVID EDWARDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

The follow up to the Fieldbook, this multi-author tome is one of my favorite go to books if I am looking for practical ways to apply the five principles. It is worthwhile to find the "The Dance of Change, challenges to sustaining change in learning organizations". It is a great summary of some of the common challenges and is extremely helpful for anyone looking to make profound change in their organization. If you don't want to make profound change then please, by all means, please continue to facilitate the human-destructive path that the modern corporation is careening down.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Senge: the master of learning and change management -- good resource that I used while pursuing a master's in strategic management.

[Mohammed alkindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

organization learning is a long journey !!! no wonder why it is exhausting

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations
Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, and George Roth
Currency Press

In this book, Senge and his co-authors focus on three types of challenges when attempting to establish and then develop a “Total Learning Organization”:

The Challenges of Initiating: Not enough time, no help (i.e. mentoring, coaching, constructive criticism), “won’t work,” “tried it last year and it flopped,” not relevant, “not my job,” etc.

The Challenges of Sustaining Transformation which result from fear and anxiety about assessment and measurement; also conflicts between True Believers and Non-Believers

The Challenges of Redesigning and Rethinking issues related to governance, diffusion, strategies, and purpose

Senge and his co-authors provide a cohesive and comprehensive system with which to achieve and then sustain (emphasis on "sustain") "profound change." It is critically important to select with great care what is most appropriate from the abundance of material (especially counsel) provided in this book. The selection process should be unhurried but expeditious. Those involved should include only those who are wholeheartedly committed to achieving "profound change" (i.e. “True Believers”). Moreover, their number should not threaten effective communication and collaboration. Like the construction of a building, building a “Total Learning Organization” requires a "blueprint," sufficient resources, materials of the highest quietly, inspiring leaders and effective managers, talented associates, and (most important) a shared commitment. Obviously, each organization will need its own "blueprint." Success or failure when implementing it will depend upon its own people. It cannot be otherwise. View The Dance of Change created by Senge and his co-authors, therefore, as an invaluable resource...and proceed accordingly.

[Lawrence Linnen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Senge et al. present a comprehensive examination of sustaining momentum for making changes in learning organizations. They discuss leadership, challenges, and growth processes of profound change through discussion of key change components and the referencing of from several in-depth corporate examples, such as Shell Oil and the U. S. Army. Profound change describes "organizational change that combines inner shifts in people’s values, aspirations, and behaviors with ‘outer’ shifts in processes, strategies, practices, and systems" (p.15). Whole organization change, as opposed to top-down change, has more potential to succeed. Much attention is paid to the human interactions as they unfold in and effect organizations. Insight is provided on systems that govern, promote, and limit change. The authors suggest an extensive awareness of relevant systems and the ability to work within the systems as being key to profound change. Hubert and Dreyfus propose that skill acquisition takes place in five stages, ranging from novice to expert. Senge et al. extend these stages to systems thinkers. Extensive discussion of various roles people play in making change, including various stages of leadership, is documented with examples from the corporate world.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was required reading in my Management Behavior class, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Senge is the "inventor" of the "learning organization" and although it is a bit of pie in the sky for an organization to achieve this status, it never hurts to strive for it anyway. His ideas are innovative and workable. A great read for business/psychology of management.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow up to the 5th Discipline. Gives practical advice on how to implement the 5 disciplines.

[Sergio F. Sosa Sanchez]

Cambio y aprendizaje en las organizaciones.

[Denise DeRocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

An outstanding read on an innovative theory built on a work-relationship-success model. A must read for anyone in any type of business!!!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

used audiobook

[Nadimuthu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 10 challenges to making profound change and the strategies to deal with the challenges are really useful.

[JB Radcliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explores the difficulties surrounding change, and how to overcome the need to fall back on your old habits. Change can be good.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindfulness.