Change-Friendly Leadership: How to Transform Good Intentions into Great Performance

As business shifts and technological innovation continue to revolutionize the way we do business, the only constant is change—and too many leaders are uncomfortable with it, says consultant and coach Duncan. Aiming to deliver a user-friendly guide to managing change, transition, and implementation for a broad range of readers, he addresses executives, HR professionals, universities, local governments, and community organizers. Though strategy and structure are important, successful change is about a shift in behaviors, and that’s the nut Duncan sets out to crack—focusing on engagement, curiosity, and coaching. He sets up some acronym-heavy but catchy systems, such as “Think-Friendly” questions, which encourage creative thought, and the “FIND-IT” setup (Focus, Inquire, Notice, Discern—Integrate, Translate). Duncan’s tone is lively and peppered with stories, specific processes, and self-assessments; his lessons in leadership and advice for building a culture and behaviors that are open to change are particularly on point. The extraordinary list of accolades from peers (Stephen M.R. Covey, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Ken Blanchard, and many others) are well deserved for this invaluable guide to anyone struggling with the demands of change. (Sept.)