The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive

by Michael Fullan

Overview

From bestselling author Michael Fullan, wisdom for thriving in today's complex environment

Successful organizations adjust quickly and intelligently to shifts in consumer tastes, political climate, and economic opportunity. How do they do it? The Six Secrets of Change explores essential lessons for business and public sector leaders for thriving in today's complex environment. Fullan draws on his acclaimed work in bringing about large-scale and substantial change in education reform in both public school systems and universities, as well as engaging in major change initiatives internationally. This book is filled with lessons that are insightful, actionable, and concisely communicable.

"Fullan has an uncanny ability to produce what is needed at the time it is needed. The six secrets are based in theory, grounded in practice, powerful in their relationship to each other, and described in ways that enable deep understanding. It is a refreshing change from the surface lists of leadership and change ideas that all too often permeate education and business literature." —Vicki Phillips, director of education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• Includes so-called leadership "secrets" that are decoded to be accessible and useful
• Offers illustrative examples from a variety of businesses, health organizations, and public education systems
• Lays out the six factors to organizational success: collegiality, long-range plans allow for the unknown, nurture employees, learning, leadership at all levels, and positive pressure must be inescapable
• Michael Fullan is the author of the acclaimed best-seller Leading in a Culture of Change

Fullan convinces us that a leader who attends to all six key factors will have an organization that is constantly learning, growing, and thriving.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118152607
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	11/22/2011
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	346,355
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Michael Fullan is professor emeritus of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. Recognized as a worldwide authority on organizational change, he is engaged in training, consulting, and evaluating change projects around the world. Fullan is author of Change Leader and Leading in a Culture of Change. He lives in Toronto.

Read an Excerpt

Click to read or download

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgments xi

About the Author xiii

Introduction: Have Theory, Will Travel 1

Secret One: Love Your Employees 19

Secret Two: Connect Peers with Purpose 39

Secret Three: Capacity Building Prevails 55

Secret Four: Learning is the Work 73

Secret Five: Transparency Rules 91

Secret Six: Systems Learn 105

Conclusion: Keeping the Secrets 123

References 137

Index 145

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Fullan's practical guide is a lucid and encouraging book, likely to appeal to and assist managers at all levels." (Publisher's Weekly, 03/20/08)

Fullan (Leading in a Culture of Change) argues that the world is too complex for any theory to possess unassailable certainty, and leaders should shy away from relying on a single blueprint for success. Instead, good leaders should use theories of action to guide their decisions, but remain open to new data that may direct further action. Fullan advocates adopting “theories that travel”—practical insights that travel across sectors, geography and culturally diverse situations and point to actions likely to be effective given the circumstances. To help managers navigate change, Fullan shares six secrets designed to help with large-scale reform: “Love Your Employees, “Connect Peers with Purpose,” “Capacity Building Prevails,” “Learning Is the Work,” Transparency Rules” and “Systems Learn,” and provides guidelines for making these secrets work. Although the six secrets are hardly radically new ideas and are presented as a bit of panacea, Fullan’s practical guide is a lucid and encouraging book, likely to appeal to and assist managers at all levels. (May.) (Publishers Weekly, March 17, 2008)

Editorial Reviews

Fullan (Leading in a Culture of Change) argues that the world is too complex for any theory to possess unassailable certainty, and leaders should shy away from relying on a single blueprint for success. Instead, good leaders should use theories of action to guide their decisions, but remain open to new data that may direct further action. Fullan advocates adopting "theories that travel"-practical insights that travel across sectors, geography and culturally diverse situations and point to actions likely to be effective given the circumstances. To help managers navigate change, Fullan share six secrets designed to help with large-scale reform: "Love Your Employees," "Connect Peers with Purpose," "Capacity Building Prevails," "Learning Is the Work," "Transparency Rules" and "Systems Learn, and provides guidelines for making these secrets work. Although the six secrets are hardly radically new ideas and are presented as a bit of a panacea, Fullan's practical guide is a lucid and encouraging book, likely to appeal to and assist managers at all levels. (May)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly

"Fullan's practical guide is a lucid and encouraging book, likely to appeal to and assist managers at all levels." (Publisher's Weekly, 03/20/08)

Fullan (Leading in a Culture of Change) argues that the world is too complex for any theory to possess unassailable certainty, and leaders should shy away from relying on a single blueprint for success. Instead, good leaders should use theories of action to guide their decisions, but remain open to new data that may direct further action. Fullan advocates adopting “theories that travel”—practical insights that travel across sectors, geography and culturally diverse situations and point to actions likely to be effective given the circumstances. To help managers navigate change, Fullan shares six secrets designed to help with large-scale reform: “Love Your Employees, “Connect Peers with Purpose,” “Capacity Building Prevails,” “Learning Is the Work,” Transparency Rules” and “Systems Learn,” and provides guidelines for making these secrets work. Although the six secrets are hardly radically new ideas and are presented as a bit of panacea, Fullan’s practical guide is a lucid and encouraging book, likely to appeal to and assist managers at all levels. (May.) (Publishers Weekly, March 17, 2008)

From the Publisher