Abstract

This article is an excerpt from the author’s book Making Change Work: Practical Tools for Overcoming Human Resistance to Change (American Society for Quality, 2004). The first management tool presented in this article can help organizational leaders determine if their organization is unable to absorb any more change. The second tool can help with evaluation of organizational readiness with respect to the change model introduced in a subsequent chapter of the book. These evaluations are best done as a team effort. The article provides guidelines for determining degrees of readiness for change in several categories: leading change; creating a shared need; shaping a vision; mobilizing commitment; monitoring progress; finishing the job; and anchoring the change. Specific techniques for guiding a team through the evaluation process are described. The next chapter of the book, "Making Change Work: A Model for Overcoming Human Resistance to Change", is available online.