 "Book Review" | 2009-10-06 |
| - Reviewed By Dalia Liang from California |
Robert E. Quinn's book, Deep Change (1996), is an easy read, yet thought-provoking. It is replete with fables, personal anecdotes, historical accounts, and real life examples of organizational change - examples of successful change, as well as examples of failed attempts at change. Though written primarily for the business sector, Deep Change is much more than a business management book. It is a book about improving lives, re-inventing the workplace, and making a difference in the world. The stories told are profound, timeless and universal. They reach into the heart of every reader, young or old, rich or poor. They are stories about what it means to be human. Consider this excerpt from "The Hero's Journey:"
. . . There are many famous heroes. These people tend to appear almost larger than life. In taking the hero's journey, they do the seemingly impossible. Surviving their amazing feats, they gain our respect, and we confer on them near-deity status.
I like to think about the hero's journey in other terms. . . . I like to think of the blue-collar laborer who, after an agonizing deliberation, decides to risk the job rather than follow an unethical directive. I like to think about the hero's journey in terms of you and me and our continual search for meaning and direction in our lives.
(p. 46.)
Quinn confronts the reader with two choices: accept deep change or face a slow death. He describes deep change as the process of personal transformation and empowerment, and slow death as the vicious cycle of stagnation, resignation, and despair. Deep change is a choice; those who do not accept it are "deliberately joining the legions of the walking death (p. 22)," and living " `lives of quiet desperation' (p. 21)." The underlying message of Deep Change is personal responsibility. The book aims to give people the tools and the motivation for personal transformation and steadfast engagement with their organizations. A recurring theme is that organizational change cannot happen without personal change, and that each person has the power to change his/her organization. "...[E]very individual is really the CEO (p. 206)."
Quinn warns the reader that deep change is a painful and risk-filled process, something that one must be willing and ready to die for. Given such risks, why would anybody want to change? According to Quinn, those who embrace deep change have been touched by this striking realization: that the pain of deep change is surpassed by none other, but the pain of lost human potential. For many people, a life of lost potential is not worth living.
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| "The "Quinn"tessential book on Change" | 2009-05-19 |
| - Reviewed By www.WilliamsonHome.us from Fort Worth, TX |
By Douglas R. Williamson, MBA, PMP in Fort Worth, TX
This was one of those "required reading" books in grad school. When I first started reading it, I thought...another book of "theory". But, within the first few pages, I realized this theory is REALITY! I've read a lot of books about change, change management, change theory, change everything! But, this book speaks to the very soul of change, both within the organization and within yourself.
Do not skim this book...read it thoroughly and without interruption. Allow its message to "sink in" and soon the realization of how to discover your leader within will emerge. I have recommended this book to many managers and leaders who are not doing well with our rapidly changing world.
Admittedly, I am now completely fascinated by change...from every aspect and angle. I'm intrigued why something so constant can be so difficult for some and so each for others. The answer is in this book. Quinn states, "Most of us seek quantum leaps in our performance levels by pursuing a strategy of incremental investment. This strategy simply does not work. The land of excellence is safely guarded from unworthy intruders. At the gates stand two fearsome sentries--risk and learning. The keys to entry are faith and courage." Most of us enjoy learning, but many are risk averse. Most of us have faith, but do we have the courage to act upon that faith?
Thank you, Dr. Quinn, for sharing your perspective of change with us. Your message seems to be timely in just about every age and era. As our country and our world moves through drastic changes upon us now, will we realize the "quantum leaps" in our performance levels? If each of us embraces the deep change within, I believe we will realize our potential.
Douglas R. Williamson, MBA, PMP, Fort Worth, TX |
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| "Life-Changer" | 2008-12-16 |
| - Reviewed By M. Robinson from Stillwater, MN USA |
| This has become one of my top 5 favorite books... A real life-changer at the professional and personal levels. |
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| "Enlighening" | 2008-09-21 |
| - Reviewed By S. Saucier DNPc,NP-C,CSC from Detroit |
| Deep change is an enlightening book that really makes one stop and look at where you are in life and if you are truly happy with yourself. This book has opened my eyes and made me realize I need to make some deep changes in my life in order to achieve happiness. I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to be a better person. |
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| "Excellent read w/some weaknesses" | 2007-10-10 |
| - Reviewed By Ev Xpistw from Normal, IL USA |
This book is an excellent book for generic change issues. Quinn covers a lot of issues that will help business execs in a variety of situations. Having been a small business owner for years, I saw a number of things that would have helped me in those days. For example, he talks about willingness to change. He couches this topic with the sentence that starts out with 'walk naked into...'! He knows how to hook a reader, yet doesn't throw in a myriad of illustrations (like some other authors in this field). I found myself wanting to immediately apply every chapter as I read it.
After years of small business activity, I find myself now leading a church in Illinois. An excellence course I am taking recommended this book. I can see a lot of applications for churches as well. However, I find that I disagree with his premise that you can change yourself. So many people I work with lack the ability to transform themselves, and I am unconvinced his 'alignment' idea is all that is needed.
For the Christian business leader or church member or pastor, the power to change must come from an encounter with God through prayer and scripture meditation. Instead of reinventing ourselves, we die daily to our old nature and put on the new man in Christ Jesus. This enables us to flexibly apply Quinn's excellent principles.
So I would only add some good old Christian theology to the power points in his message. Otherwise I think this is a great book and I heartily recommend it. |
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| "An excellent read..." | 2007-01-22 |
| - Reviewed By An Amazon User |
I had to read this book for my executive MBA program, and the class agreed that it was a very relevant and enlightening experience. I work for a large company that had a big merger pending, and I ordered copies for the senior managers that report to me. It is thought-provoking and helps one re-examine oneself with rich anectodes and vignettes that keep the book from descending into psycho-babble or abstract theory.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested making difficult changes in their lives. The fact that Quinn addresses change in both a personal and professional environment makes this book a useful tool for self-enrichment or teams. There are thought-provoking discussion and/or self-reflection questions at the end of each chapter that allow the reader to take what the author has discussed and relate it to their own situation. |
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