Choosing to Change: An Alternative Understanding of Change Management

It is commonly quoted that the majority of change initiatives fail and equally common is the reasoning that failure is due to a lack of adequate planning and robust processes to deliver change to the organisation.

However, organisations cannot change it is only the people in the organisation, and those connected with it, that can change the way they work, think and behave.

Choosing to Change takes an alternative view of the change process, applying thinking from the studies of complexity to explore how change in organisations is driven by individual choice. How the totality of our individual experiences and our aspirations for the future shapes our thinking both consciously and unconsciously, setting out an approach that brings change by choice rather than process.

It is an exploration of how choice is the basis of all successful change programmes and how that affects the theory of change management. Through the reflections of those who have experienced change. This book tackles how our expectations of the future will determine the choices made and is a vital tool for managers, practitioners and advanced management students.

David Bentley is an independent Change Management Consultant, Visiting Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire Business School, UK, and Management Trainer. He specialises in leading change, business improvement and leadership development for organisations from global companies to small businesses and charities.