Step into Change

"It is fantastic to see someone take the brave step of writing on this subject, and just not take the step, but to do it so well. Positioned as a guide for people considering getting into change management which it certainly is, this book will do so much more. To start with the value for those considering career in the fascinating world of change.  Naomi gives the prospective change professional a comprehensive range of things to inform them and guide them.  

 From the very important consideration as to why change management is important to society and will it be right for them, through to the practical 'how tos’ of how you go about becoming a change professional. It is written for the person starting a career and for those looking to make a change in their career.  The latter is very important as so many of us change professionals found ourselves in this role when we started off doing something else.  

 I like it that Naomi went to the aspects often avoided.  These include what character does a person need to be good at change management, what are the dark sides of change management and, that effective change managers need to be humble and get satisfaction from knowing they made a difference, even if others may not see it or give it recognition.  These are important considerations for those considering change management as a career. 

What else will the book do.

This book will be a valuable resource for recruiters of change professionals.  The criteria for a successful change practitioner are provided right here.  For those who lead change professionals, they will gain in-depth insight into what to expect from a quality change manager, what inspires good change managers and for those not so aware, what change management is and is not.  Currently practicing change managers would be wise to purchase a copy to pass onto their superiors and other stakeholders so they have a better understanding of how the change professional adds value when given the scope to do so. 

For change managers, this book may be confronting and affirming.  The confronting part is about whether the change manager is doing this work for the reason and in the ways that are the more noble ones discussed here by Naomi.  They will reflect on their own qualifications and accreditations and see that they may not meet the standards laid out so clearly by Naomi.  

The affirming part is of course just the opposite.  The self reflection will see the motives and ways align strongly with what is outlined here and that the qualifications and accreditations are in place.  If the reflection sees change practitioners engaging in their professional development to address any of these gaps, then the world is the winner.

To close, I will be very interested to see in 20 years time if Naomi is right when she says, “No AI can truly understand human behaviour in organisations, so the role of change practitioner will be immune to the impact of AI.”

https://www.orgcapability.com.au/

"Step into Change by Naomi Jones-Black reminded me that not every good book also needs to be a long read. You’ll read it in under 2 hours and then spend the next 6 months thinking about it while you explore your change career options.

This is the “conversation” you want to have before you start in change and you don’t have to buy anyone coffee or lunch, it’s yours for the price of a coffee and a bagel (that you don’t even have to share).

I read a lot of books and enjoy the additional content in a lot of ‘management’ books, but sometimes I wish they would just cut to the chase/change! This is book does just that. It doesn’t meander, expand or offer five different perspectives on a change model, it meets you where you are, at the start, considering a career in change.

11 short chapters step you through what the job will be like, qualifications, character traits you will benefits from, the darker side of change and various entry points into change from all directions, like HR, Marketing, Project Management and Business Analytics. Maybe the next edition can also include teachers, because there is a load of potential there too!

The book speaks directly to five key non-change roles and how the transferable skills you developed will help make you a good change manager. Instead of a checklist, it offers encouragement and a friendly challenge to give it a go.

The distinction between change leaders and change professionals is one of the clearest explanations I’ve seen about how they collaborate to deliver change, both drawing on their own skill sets.

Naomi does hammer on (her words) about accreditation and only mentions some of the, let’s be generous…classic models like Kotter and Prosci, but then I realised these are the two questions I always get asked by career-switchers too. They ARE good starting points. What you do once you have those basics will decide how good you’ll be at the job. I agree that getting accredited by either CMI, ACMP or <name here> University doesn’t hurt you in any way. It won’t be enough by itself, but it’s a good start and if you keep exploring and developing, you’ll never be out of a job.

She also addresses the emotional aspects of the job and how we witness other people’s struggles with change. Page 48 has my favourite line that all CMs (including me) need to take to heart: “As a change professional, it is not your responsibility to feel people’s feelings for them or do the act of listening and understanding for them”. Maybe I’ll get that tattooed on my arm.

See, good things sometimes do come in small packages. If you’re thinking of a career in change and get lost in all the inspirational videos, LinkedIn articles and TikTok posts, this book will ground you and guide your first steps along the way.

And for those of us who get asked “How do I get into change?” as often as me, maybe gift them, or tell them to gift themselves, this book. It’s a good place to start."
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Reproduced from the original review on LinkedIn.