Best Books To Read On Business Change Management
Want to learn more about Business Change Management? Or Learn how you can become a better change manager?
Here is our list of books that can help you do exactly that.
Want to dive into the theory?
Book cover of Leading Change by John Kotter
Leading Change: An Action Plan from the World's Foremost Expert on Business Leadership
John P. Kotter
Professor John P. Kotter is a leading influence in change management.
This is the first of his many books and provides an introduction and explanation of a common change model. This practical resource provides a foundation for change management practices and begins your thinking process as to how to implement change.
Topics include: Why firms fail at change, the force that drives a successful change and Kotter’s 8 Step Process.
If you haven’t got chance to read the whole book his published article “Leading Change” in the Harvard Business Review will give you a good overview. Leading Change: Why transformation efforts fail.
Be sure to check out his other books, especially Our Iceberg is Melting which is a follow-on from this, and the Heart of change. https://www.kotterinc.com/bookshelf/
2. Change Management for Beginners: Understanding change processes and actively shaping them
Steffen Lobinger
A quick simple guide for when you are starting out in change management.
It will give you an overview of change management processes.
Perfect to get you started.
3. The Effective Change Manager: The Change Management Body of Knowledge
Change Management Institute
Describes the key knowledge areas that all change managers need to know. Including Change Readiness, Change Impact and Stakeholder engagement. Created by a huge number of experts from the organisation.
Perfect for anyone with an interest in the evolving professional discipline.
4. The Theory and Practice of Change Management
John Hayes
More of a deep dive into all things change management with a hands-on approach to how you can implement change.
It will provide you with all the skills to ensure a successful change.
Perfect for if you are studying.
Or Maybe you prefer something more digestible, contextual and actionable?
1. Build, Excite, Equip.: How to simplify change adoption in your projects.
Nicola Graham.
Change management is expensive and often undervalued – but it is the vital element that delivers engagement and return on investment for major projects. Based on many years of experience of change management and packed with proven techniques, Build, Excite, Equip is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to managing complex change and ensuring your project stands out and delivers.
Its easy-to-follow methodology provides supporting tools that enable project managers to become effective and successful change managers. Build, Excite, Equip will help you to:
Engage and onboard people early so they are ready to use the change on go-live
Reduce project resource costs by sharing the business change role among the project team
Improve social credibility within the organisation
Involve people to ensure you have a high-quality solution
Use education to deliver a positive experience of change, reduce unexpected project costs for training and engagement, and improve project timelines
2. Culturally Tuning Change Management (Best Practices in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management)
Risto Gladden
This book expands on how culture and change need to be looked at in unison. It explores tailoring plans to consider cultural variations to mitigate barriers or catalyse effective change.
With a large focus on people, their different reactions to change, and how you can adapt your approach to different company, leadership, and management cultures, as well as how to strategize and communicate this.
Perfect for project and change management teams who are implementing something to a diverse group.
3. The Change Catalyst
Campbell Macpherson
Ever wondered why your change initiatives fail? And how you can mitigate this? This is the book for you. It gives you insight into people's fear of change and how you can make your next change succeed, providing you with the tools to put it into action.
It has a heavy focus on the idea of a Change Catalyst: someone who will guide the organization, people, and processes to deliver the desired business outcomes.
It highlights how to pinpoint triggers when change occurs and get everyone on board.
Perfect for anyone wanting to switch up their perspective on change.
4. Agile Change Management: A practical framework for successful change planning & implementation
Melanie Franklin
This book focuses on creating a roadmaps suited to your project & organisation. Its very process and activities drive, giving you an overview or everything that you would need to plan out.
It expands on how you can quickly repond to different needs, issues and tasks all whilst having the best use of time and resource.
Perfect for anyone about to start on a change project and needs a bit of direction.
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