Immunity to Change

In this summary you will learn

• Why most change efforts fail
• How to change successfully as an individual
• How to help your organization change

getAbstract rating

Why you should read Immunity to Change

The core concept of this fascinating, important book – that people and organizations want to change but often fail because they get in their own way – is simple and clear. Many of the stories of how individuals and groups have changed are inspiring. However, some are so attenuated that they fail to capture subtleties, such as exactly how the subjects identified and overcame the beliefs that blocked them. That said, Robert Kegan, who teaches at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, and Lisa Laskow Lahey, the associate director of Harvard’s Change Leadership Group, address a problem many people encounter daily, and their synthesizing discussion of learning theory provides a useful framework for thinking about change. They are perceptive about the fundamental mismatch between how people attempt to change and what they really need to do. getAbstract recommends this book to managers and executives who must guide their organizations through transformations or crises, and to individuals who want to remain open-minded and flexible.

About the Authors

Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey are co-authors of How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work. Kegan teaches in Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Lahey is associate director of Harvard’s Change Leadership Group.