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Leading at the Edge of Chaos: How to Create the Nimble Organization
Praise for Leading at the Edge of Chaos
"If your organization is facing any anticipated chaotic event in the next six months-and who isn't-you should read Daryl Conner. His tough-minded definitions of winners vs. losers will make you think twice." -Craig E. Weatherup, Chairman and CEO, The Pepsi-Cola Company
"Conner's new book is thoroughly original and useful on the mastery of leading change." -Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration, University of Southern California, and author of Organizing Genius
"Daryl Conner has done it again! The leading authority on managing change has given us what we need right now. Leading at the Edge of Chaos offers prescriptive advice for leading in today's world, where the tempo and thrust of change has escalated. A must read for anyone who is still breathing and leading." -Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager(r)
"Delightful and thought-provoking . . . [links] deep organizational research with useable 'real world' advice . . . I would recommend this book to others-senior line leaders and their management teams." -Kenneth Schwenke, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Aramark Corporation
"In the new reality in which the human need for control is continuously assaulted by escalating change, Daryl Conner provides [organization leaders] . . . steps to take . . . in clear language and vivid images, with psychological insight and knowledge born out of broad hands-on experience." -Judy Bardwick, author of In Praise of Good Business and Danger in the Comfort Zone
"Every executive who is leading constant change in their organizations should read this book." -Don Beattie, Chief Executive, Personnel, The BOC Group (U.K.)
"Gone are the days when innovations and new ventures were incremental in scope and sequential in nature. In their place is 'perpetual unrest,' unending, fundamental changes . . . " -Daryl Conner
In his 1993 classic, Managing at the Speed of Change, Daryl Conner showed managers how to implement business innovations on time and under budget. In this groundbreaking new book, he shows them how to ride the whirlwind.
The tempo of change has sped up to a dizzying pace over the past few years. Globalization, rapid-fire technological innovation, and mounting pressure for shareholder value have pushed the markets into a state of ceaseless turmoil. What was cutting-edge change management theory just five years ago now seems naive. Success amidst such a maelstrom of change calls for much more than what change management models have to offer. It calls for a radically new kind of organization, nimble enough to adapt instantly to changing market conditions, and piloted by leaders versed in the art of Leading at the Edge of Chaos.
This book is not about decision making; it is about execution. It is not about predicting change; it is about adapting to it at a moment's notice. Internationally renowned "Change Doctor" Daryl Conner defines the new roles that all leaders must assume in order to direct the changes that are crucial to their organizations' survival. He schools them in all of the essential components of the change process. And, most importantly, he arms them with action steps for instilling their companies with the nimbleness and resilience needed to survive and thrive in today's supervolatile markets.
Conner also introduces the revolutionary concept of human due diligence-the human equivalent of financial due diligence and an indispensable tool for orchestrating major enterprisewide transitions. Strategic, results-oriented, and proactive, human due diligence focuses on people's capacity to absorb change as a limited resource, and offers tools for ensuring that there is sufficient capacity available to face the next challenge-and the many others sure to follow.
"If your organization is facing any anticipated chaotic event in the next six months-and who isn't-you should read Daryl Conner. His tough-minded definitions of winners vs. losers will make you think twice." -Craig E. Weatherup, Chairman and CEO, The Pepsi-Cola Company
"Conner's new book is thoroughly original and useful on the mastery of leading change." -Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration, University of Southern California, and author of Organizing Genius
"Daryl Conner has done it again! The leading authority on managing change has given us what we need right now. Leading at the Edge of Chaos offers prescriptive advice for leading in today's world, where the tempo and thrust of change has escalated. A must read for anyone who is still breathing and leading." -Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager(r)
"Delightful and thought-provoking . . . [links] deep organizational research with useable 'real world' advice . . . I would recommend this book to others-senior line leaders and their management teams." -Kenneth Schwenke, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Aramark Corporation
"In the new reality in which the human need for control is continuously assaulted by escalating change, Daryl Conner provides [organization leaders] . . . steps to take . . . in clear language and vivid images, with psychological insight and knowledge born out of broad hands-on experience." -Judy Bardwick, author of In Praise of Good Business and Danger in the Comfort Zone
"Every executive who is leading constant change in their organizations should read this book." -Don Beattie, Chief Executive, Personnel, The BOC Group (U.K.)
"Gone are the days when innovations and new ventures were incremental in scope and sequential in nature. In their place is 'perpetual unrest,' unending, fundamental changes . . . " -Daryl Conner
In his 1993 classic, Managing at the Speed of Change, Daryl Conner showed managers how to implement business innovations on time and under budget. In this groundbreaking new book, he shows them how to ride the whirlwind.
The tempo of change has sped up to a dizzying pace over the past few years. Globalization, rapid-fire technological innovation, and mounting pressure for shareholder value have pushed the markets into a state of ceaseless turmoil. What was cutting-edge change management theory just five years ago now seems naive. Success amidst such a maelstrom of change calls for much more than what change management models have to offer. It calls for a radically new kind of organization, nimble enough to adapt instantly to changing market conditions, and piloted by leaders versed in the art of Leading at the Edge of Chaos.
This book is not about decision making; it is about execution. It is not about predicting change; it is about adapting to it at a moment's notice. Internationally renowned "Change Doctor" Daryl Conner defines the new roles that all leaders must assume in order to direct the changes that are crucial to their organizations' survival. He schools them in all of the essential components of the change process. And, most importantly, he arms them with action steps for instilling their companies with the nimbleness and resilience needed to survive and thrive in today's supervolatile markets.
Conner also introduces the revolutionary concept of human due diligence-the human equivalent of financial due diligence and an indispensable tool for orchestrating major enterprisewide transitions. Strategic, results-oriented, and proactive, human due diligence focuses on people's capacity to absorb change as a limited resource, and offers tools for ensuring that there is sufficient capacity available to face the next challenge-and the many others sure to follow.
- GenresBusiness
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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February 4, 2021My first highlight from this book is “Stability is no longer the prevalent condition of our age.” That’s a simple and profound truth as we must find ways to cope with the constant change we’re in while simultaneously leading our organizations and families. That’s what Leading at the Edge of Chaos: How to Create the Nimble Organization is all about. It’s about leading our organizations through change. In it, Darryl Connor (who also wrote Managing at the Speed of Change) puts forth the proposal that organizations today need nimbleness, resilience, human due diligence, and execution.
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October 2, 2016
I gave this book four stars, because it’s heavy on theory at the expense of examples. Conner has done a fantastic job of laying out pieces of change management. The tables he uses are excellent summaries of the chapter and make for easy reference for anyone who is attempting to keep key take-aways nearby. I especially found the chart on P. 290 that goes through the different stages a person could be in as they experience change. It really helps to explain why and where people get stuck and how they can pursue personal improvement and growth.
The reason I couldn’t give it absolute full marks, though is that you get the impression that Conner has significant experience, but is sharing with you the culled knowledge only. Perhaps he can not share too much given client relationships. However, I feel like the book at times reads too dry because the personal stories, successes and failures are left out. I would have preferred more illustrative examples. Particularly with people issues, which the book drills on, knowing what some people do that is wrong and contrasting this with the correct way to do it is key.
He gives a couple of fantastic examples of a phone conversation of someone who is stuck at the Antabuse stage would say. (i.e. chance meeting vs. proactive approach). I would have loved lots more of these. Clearly the guy is an expert though.
The reason I couldn’t give it absolute full marks, though is that you get the impression that Conner has significant experience, but is sharing with you the culled knowledge only. Perhaps he can not share too much given client relationships. However, I feel like the book at times reads too dry because the personal stories, successes and failures are left out. I would have preferred more illustrative examples. Particularly with people issues, which the book drills on, knowing what some people do that is wrong and contrasting this with the correct way to do it is key.
He gives a couple of fantastic examples of a phone conversation of someone who is stuck at the Antabuse stage would say. (i.e. chance meeting vs. proactive approach). I would have loved lots more of these. Clearly the guy is an expert though.
January 10, 2013
With the exception of a silly chapter on "Mastering the Leadership Role" which COnner chooses to present as a sort of "business fable" (sorry - I HATE that stuff) this book is an excellent - albeit very dense - treatise on the role of the leader in managing change. COnner argues that the ever-present need to adapt creates a requirement for "nimble" organizations - basically, orgnaizations that can change on a dime. He addresses the necessity of identifying important changes (as opposed to change for the sake of changing) and the characteristics of a "resilient" leader (one who can cope with all of this change) in good detail, arguing for the use of a process he calls human due diligence to identify how mcuh change your organization can handle. It's a very useful book, but it is not a scintilating read. Maybe that's why he added the silly fable chapter.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews