Change on the Run: 44 Ways to Survive Workplace Uncertainty

by Phil Buckley

Overview

Change is the norm in business. Here’s how you navigate it.

The only thing you can rely on in today’s workplace is uncertainty. Between mergers and acquisitions, layoffs and team shuffles, pandemics and recessions, only the nimble survive. This book is your secret weapon to navigating it all.

Being successful in change is not about being perfect; it’s about being fast and effective so you can move onto the next task or challenge. Change on the Run will help you line them up and knock them down.

Written for the time-strapped manager, Change on the Run provides a laser-focused guide to navigating your way through disruption, without any time-consuming fluff or theory. Change management expert Phil Buckley gives you 44 tried-and-true survival strategies for responding to transitions and disruptions as quickly as possible. For each, Buckley applies his 80/20 rule—honing in on one action that will deliver 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time, with three key steps to achieving it. Flip through, skim and dip in and out; it is yours to discover the way you want to.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781989603987
Publisher:	Page Two Books, Inc.
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.65(w) x 6.48(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Phil Buckley is an award-winning author, public speaker, facilitator, and senior change management professional with over 32 large-scale change projects under his belt—including co-leading global change management for the $19.6 billion Kraft Foods acquisition of Cadbury. For the past 25 years, leaders and teams across the US, Canada, and the UK have relied on him to help them drive performance through change. From mergers and divestitures to culture initiatives and systems implementation, he has seen and handled it all. He is also the author of Change with Confidence, and host of the Change on the Run podcast which you can find, along with his blog and monthly newsletter, at www.changewithconfidence.com.

Read an Excerpt

1. Assessing Your Strengths
Everyone goes through a personal transition when their company goes through a business transition—this is normal. Most cope with the stress by busying themselves with change-related tasks, and often become overwhelmed from having too much work to do in the too-little time available. A better approach is to first take stock of what you do well. Knowing (and using) your strengths is an antidote to fear and an amplifier of abilities.
Reviewing actions you do well is a good start to creating your inventory of change skills. Examples of actions are planning, motivating people and problem solving. Your past performance reviews can reveal patterns of these types of actions and behaviors that have served you well. Your network is another source of feedback on strengths. Ask people for two inputs: what you do well, and what your “watch-out” areas are. Most people will give you balanced views. Once you have completed your research, pick your best three strengths to leverage when completing your tasks, knowing they will assist you in any situation

Table of Contents

Welcome from Your Coach! 12

Part 1 Managing Me

1 Assessing Your Strengths 18

2 Setting Your Personal Goals 22

3 Building Your Confidence 26

4 Optimizing Your Limited Time 30

5 Remaining Calm Under Pressure 34

6 Managing the Unknown 40

7 Making Decisions 44

8 Addressing an Emergency 48

9 Impressing Leaders 52

10 Not Taking Things Personally 58

11 Responding to Criticism 62

12 Overcoming a Blocker 66

13 Identifying Your Lessons Learned 70

Part 2 Managing the Work

14 Developing a Business Case for Change 78

15 Measuring Success 82

16 Creating a Vision for the Change 86

17 Creating a Change Plan 90

18 Defining How People Must Change 96

19 Competing for Resources 100

20 Negotiating Deadlines 104

21 Assessing Risks 108

22 Creating a Change Champion Network 114

23 Communicating Effectively 118

24 Telling People what to Expect 122

25 Measuring Progress 126

26 Reporting Against the Timeline 132

27 Presenting at a Leadership Review 136

28 Measuring Readiness for Change 140

29 Identifying Project Lessons Learned 144

Part 3 Managing Others

30 Empathizing with Others 152

31 Earning Trust 156

32 Preparing Leaders to Lead Change 160

33 Influencing Decisions 164

34 Changing Your Culture 170

35 Leveraging Your Existing Culture 174

36 Engaging Those Who Are Changing 178

37 Establishing Team Ways of Working 182

38 Building Team Confidence 188

39 Building Momentum 192

40 Avoiding Team Burnout 196

41 Stopping Drama (in Its Tracks) 200

42 Resetting Team Behaviors 206

43 Addressing Resistance 210

44 Making Change Stick 214

Bonus Material

My (Almost) Last Word 222

Additional Tools and Exercises 224

Power Stat Sources 230

Acknowledgments 232

Editorial Reviews

Buckley’s book teaches and guides in a helpful way, urging a patience that most might not see on the job, making it a valuable tool for the workplace, and in life.” —Booklist

“Phil Buckley is inspiring—he makes the most challenging changes simple to understand, and his practical approaches are easy to execute. It’s a joy to learn from such an interactive and animated expert in organizational change—he is one of a kind!” —Luisa Girotto, VP Public Relations, Starbucks Coffee Canada

“Change on the Run is a brilliant and highly practical guide for anyone experiencing or leading change of any scale in the workplace today. It is packed full of helpful tools and techniques to support you as you think through how to approach, embed and effect lasting change in your business. It supports you in ensuring that you have considered all aspects of driving change—whether your own role and approach, or the impact on and engagement of individuals and teams.” —Murray McGowan, Group Strategy and Transformation Director, Imperial Brands PLC

“Phil Buckley is the ultimate source for change wisdom. This easy-to-read book is a fantastic resource that illustrates Phil’s rock-solid advice, down-to-earth techniques and holistic approach that anyone can use, especially leaders and managers who are short on time.” —Gregg Brown, Change Leader, international speaker and bestselling author of Ready... Set... Change Again

“A practical, insightful guide to managing change from somebody who’s been there and done that. Highly recommended” —Bharat Puri, Managing Director of Pidilite Industries

“Phil Buckley, a global leader in change management, provides a wealth of insights into the often-challenging and sometimes treacherous territory of organizational change. Whether you are a novice or a well-seasoned professional, Change on the Run will serve as an invaluable guide for almost any type of real-world change effort. Don't be fooled by the concise and often humorous writing style. This book addresses the most crucial aspects of change management and does so in a lively and straight-forward manner.” —Dr. Len Karakowsky, professor of organizational change at York University

“I’ve known Phil Buckley for several years and have seldom seen such a level of continuity, professionalism and warmth all rolled into one person. Phil’s book is a solid guide to making change. Change on the Run is the perfect roadmap to understanding and knowing how to make changes in ourselves and in our organizations.” —Dr. Carlos Davidovich, neuromanagement expert, executive coach and professor of neuromanagement in the MBA program at the University of New York in Prague

“Phil Buckley has a long-standing track record of helping organizations move through change seamlessly and successfully. He is a master at making the complex simple, and has packaged his wisdom into this concise book. If you're working through change and looking to take expedient action, Change on the Run will empower you to make the right decisions in the least amount of time.” —Nina Purewal, bestselling author of Let That Sh*t Go, and founder of Pure Minds

“Phil Buckley has packed a little book with a powerful punch of practical ideas, activities and reflections that both newbies and seasoned pros will be able to go back to again and again. Fun to read, easy to apply and filled with fad-free ideas, Change on the Run is a must-have for any leader navigating uncertainty.” —Glain Roberts-McCabe, Founder and President of The Roundtable and author of The Grassroots Leadership Revolution

“Change on the Run is an immensely valuable and practical resource for new and seasoned leaders alike, from an expert with a wealth of experience.” —Julie Edwards, Vice President Supply Chain, Dare Foods Limited

“Change on the Run is an incredibly useful resource for anyone who manages change in the workplace. Phil Buckley is an expert coach, mixing theory with practical stats and tips, and delivering it all with the kindness and light-heartedness we so badly need in these times. Phil covers a range of change-related challenges while focusing on the core question 'What can I do about this?” —Rhiannon Cooke, Chair of the Board of Directors, CMC Partnership Global Ltd., and past president, Association of Change Management Professionals

From the Publisher