Как да станем творци на промени

by Alex Budak, Алекс Будак, Евелина Банева (преводач)

„Как да станем творци на промени“ е призив за действие и влияние. Книгата показва как инициирането на промяна, където и да се намирате, може да промени кариерата ви, обществото, в което живеете, и дори света.

Свежа, вдъхновяваща и основана на научни изследвания, книгата на Алекс Будак предлага есенцията на уроците и философиите от едноименния курс, който води в Училището по бизнес Хаас на Университета в Бъркли, и показва, че всеки може да бъде творец на промени – да намери нова цел и професионално удовлетворение на всеки етап от живота си.

От нея ще научите как:

да развиете собствен уникален стил като творец на промени и да ръководите ефективно, автентично и с емпатия;
да превърнете неуспехите в стъпала и да усвоите изкуството да преобразувате провалите в мощни катализатори за растеж и иновации;
да влияете без авторитет, за да вдъхновявате и мобилизирате другите за визията си – дори ако нямате ръководна длъжност;
да съставяте устойчив план за действие, така че да превърнете стремежа си за промяна в реалност с помощта на Платното на твореца на промени и описаните в него осезаеми, податливи на управление стъпки.
да преследвате целите си и да се научите да впрягате индивидуалните си силни страни, за да внасяте промени, където и да се намирате, по начин, верен на същността ви.
За да бъдете творец на промени, не се нуждаете от високо звание или идеално шлифована идея. Но имате нужда от начало. Тази книга е вашата първа стъпка.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership, Business, Personal Development, Productivity, Education, Self Help

362 pages, малък формат, меки корици

Published November 1, 2024

About the author

Alex Budak helps people spark change, find fulfillment, and make an impact wherever they go.

An award-winning faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and School of Public Health, his impact-focused courses teach students to think, act, and lead differently -- and have even inspired student tattoos.

His book, Becoming a Changemaker, is being translated into 23 languages. CNBC named it a top 5 non-fiction book about work.

Alex began his hands-on, community-driven change work as co-founder of StartSomeGood. The platform has raised millions of dollars to help launch and scale new change efforts in over 50 countries.

A UCLA and Georgetown graduate, he has spoken on leadership, change, and meaning around the world, from Ukraine to Cambodia. He regularly leads workshops and keynotes for organizations like Accenture, Salesforce, The World Bank and UNHCR.

A few more things: Alex loves traveling (39 countries and counting), trying new workouts, and spending time with his favorite changemakers—his wife Rebecca and their toddler son. He also once learned the hard way to never go budget skydiving.

More at alexbudak.com.

Reviews

[Steph Cheng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book felt like the wakeup call I had been seeking for years now. Many books of this genre either fall too far on the fluff/inspiration side, or the dry social science research side. Becoming a Changemaker hit that sweet spot between absolutely perfectly! I really appreciated that the case studies in the book are honest and realistic looks and what it takes to lead change, and that the author clearly put effort into highlighting a diverse collection of changemakers across every dimension. The chapters close with neat summaries and challenges, and so I found myself regularly feeling equal parts inspired, and also ready to take action because of what I had just read. I really can't say enough good things about Becoming a Changemaker. I think it's a magical and transformational book and I will keep coming back to it in the months and years ahead I'm sure.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through this book, I was able to develop a changemaker mindset and seek opportunities to lead change no matter where I am. It includes numerous diverse and insightful stories that make change seem less daunting, and it emphasizes changemaking as an action that anyone can take. This book feels especially important to the younger generation as we are the ones catalyzing change to build a better world. Overall, I strongly recommend it!

[Sejal Goel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Hachette for sending me an advanced copy for this phenomenal book! I am always looking for ways to improve and Becoming a Changemaker was the perfect read for this. I love how the concepts were always illustrated by examples, making the book relatable, fun, and easy to read. Highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about leading change (even in your daily life).

[Judith Altman · Rating 5 out of 5]

These days when the issues of the world can be overwhelming and discouraging, I welcome this actionable and inspiring book. It makes the point that you don’t need to “be in charge” to make a positive impact. On the contrary, the premise is that each of us has the potential to generate positive change.

This book, based in research and utterly approachable, helps one to develop the mindset and the skills to lead positive change and shape a better future. The book is based on the author’s popular course at UC Berkeley which teaches students to lead positive change as a way of being and not waiting until one is in a more formal leadership role.

Each chapter in the book addresses important topics such as building a changemaker mindset, questioning the status quo, maintaining confidence without attitude (yes!), seeing beyond yourself, always being a student, leaning into changemaker leadership, and making change that sticks.

It is filled with many interesting case studies and numerous illustrations and examples. The stories are engaging and insightful. Unlike many leadership books, they aren’t the typical stories of CEOs but rather span across multiple industries, age levels and inherent abilities. Each is an insightful and relatable example of what being a changemaker looks like in action.

What I appreciate most in this book is the inclusiveness of the author’s approach. He makes the point that absolutely anyone can be a changemaker if they are guided by a changemaker mindset. As a result, this book left me with a sense of hope and empowerment about having a positive impact on the massive challenges and issues that we face in our world today.

[sammynagubandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becoming a Changemaker is such an inspiring and well written book. Professor Budak provides so many pieces of meaningful advice, real changemaker stories, and other valuable information about creating an impact and also about how anyone is capable of creating a positive impact. I truly believe anyone can take something meaningful away from this book.

[Marta Clua · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Becoming a Changemaker" talks about creating social impact, psychological safety, failure, leadership styles and other relevant topics interesting for those who want to learn how to play a role in making a positive change in any level in our society. I totally recommend it! Super enjoyable :)

[Vitus Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear potential book reader,

Let me quickly go over what this book will provide you with. I both took the course at Berkeley and read the book.

First of all, I can tell you that if you don't have the great pleasure of being able to attend the course in person, the book truly gets you there as much as possible. Even the practical experiences done in class are introduced in the book. Thereby, you can really take part in the immersive experience the "Becoming a Changemaker"- course provides for the students of UC Berkeley.

However, this is not a classic university textbook (just as the course is not a classic university course) but has been written to be intellectually stimulating, action inspiring and accessible. It is a vivid read, and intelligible even when you are not hyper-focused on a strong dose of coffee (as necessary for some textbooks out there). Take this book up whenever you want a dose of interesting research on the paradigms of change, connected to impulses for personal development and inspiring stories of people that have shaped the world positively.

Three major things will happen when you read this book. 1. You will have found inspiration for profound personal development (in a positive and manageable, not in an overwhelming sense). 2. You will have knowledge of the external forces and social dynamics driving successful change-making. 3. You will know how to take charge and take positive influence on these dynamics. Thereby, you will know how to motivate teammates and third parties (e.g. evangelist and mentors) to successfully work towards the common goal, to continuously generate innovative ideas to accelerate its success and how to practically iterate on your idea to solve your problem sustainably.

Lastly, however, the book is not meant to just leave you with an idea and a guide on how to execute it, but is intended to push you towards actually taking ownership of and starting your project. Having read this book, you may have just done the project you always thought necessary, and if not, you have gotten to know yourself and the world you interact with a lot better.

Greetings!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a work project, and I admit it's not a narrative style I would typically choose to read. The author, a professor at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, bases the structure on his own course syllabus, a claim substantiated by examples of student approaches to tasks described as part of applying the concepts presented. Still, it reads more as a mass market self-help book than a business school text, but that's perhaps appropriate for a broad audience. The strength of the book, and its relevance especially to entry level and less senior staff, is in the acknowledgement of hierarchical structures in a typical workplace and the challenges of emerging as a changemaker early in one's career. In fact, I'd recommend the book specifically to those early in their career and lower in organizational hierarchies. Rather than being one of many many books on leadership strategies, this is genuinely a guide to being just what it says, a changemaker, someone who sees opportunity for social and/or organizational change and strives to be an agent of change, with a focus on strategies for influencing change when one does not yet have a position of influence or authority.

Honestly, I wish I'd read this book earlier in my career, and I would recommend to those who I recognize as having that desire to be a changemaker irrespective of their position in an organizational hierarchy.

[Omar Rincon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offer a very digestible way to organize your ideas and transform them into action with a specific framework in mindset and leadership application. Very smooth reading, rich in current stories as close as the COVID-19 crisis, that help you picture and put concepts in the real world. What I think is most important, this book will empower you. It will help you understand the capacity you have to create Change and how important is to not limit your ideas but rather thinking on scalable systematic changes. At the same time, it remind you the impact you can have in a micro level, and how leadership go farther than simply having a title.

[Sarika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone can be a changemaker-- my core takeaway after reading this book in one sitting!

If you’re a young leader, entrepreneur, or even a professional wanting to take the next step in their career, this is the read for you! Not only was this book eye-opening and confidence-boosting for me as an introvert, but it tangibly instilled the skills (accompanied by tons of real-life cases!) needed to thrive as a leader no matter the personality, background, or industry you belong to.

This book could not have come at a better time for me. Check out this book written by one of UC Berkeley Haas’s top faculty members!

[Miles Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Budak provides a clear and attention grabbing manual to leading change in an age where anyone can make a difference.

Many of the insights in this book have reminded me of challenges i've faced and lessons I've learned in my own changemaking journey. The rest have already started to change my mind about how to lead change going forward. I've already decided to keep this book by my bedside as a manual/sanity check anytime I am leading a changemaking initiative going forward.

I'd recommend this to anyone interested in getting things done, moving the world forward, and making change wherever they go.

[Gianella Renteria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, especially all the little activities laid out within the lessons that help put things in a visual aspect, which I appreciate as a visual and demonstrative learner! Alex Budak has a sense of humbleness and wiseness that pops out throughout the book. This book sets such an inspiring tone that lets everyone know that we are worthy of becoming changemakers no matter our background and provides us the tools to do so. I 10/10 recommend this book, especially to those aspiring to create change, no matter how big or small, but don't know where to start!

[Ben Lamorte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me want to take the class at Berkeley.
I love the “Go Fail” exercise.

While a third of this book refers to basic info that most educated people should already know, it is packed with poignant real changemaker case studies that will inspire most every reader.

This is a timely book right now as the problems in the world seem to be growing exponentially. If we all read this book, I expect many of the problems will get solved. Kind of a must read for all of us. We can all be part of the solution.

[Fred Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as helpful as I had hoped but nonetheless a good book. The Canvas is probably the most useful part, it's an easy way to build this into a course or workshop; or to develop conversation around the topics. It's a blend of business model canvas, Theory of Change and personal skills/attributes so its worth being on the shelve if you teach or coach aspects of this. Unlike just a list of anecdotes, the canvas gives some action steps which makes it worthwhile. There is nothing revolutionary in the book, it's a good solid compendium of best practices.

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most inspiring books I've read in my life. Alex Budak has an incredible understanding of what it takes to become a changemaker and lead positive change, and he shares his insights in a simple, compelling way. I've learned a lot about how to develop a changemaker mindset, and I feel now much more equipped and inspired to go out and start creating more positive change. Totally recommend this book to anyone wanting to improve their team, company, community or the world. Thanks Alex!

[Fay Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! I am not someone who would ever think of myself as a changemaker, but the research and stories throughout this book shifted my thinking. The author uses clear details from his class and research to illustrate his ideas, and they certainly stay with the reader. My one disappointment after reading the book is that I can't go back to college and take the author's course! An energizing and inspiring read.

[Daniel Tsentsiper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The idea at the core of this book — that anyone can become a changemaker — is amplified by stories of leaders like Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia), Jacinda Ardern (Prime minister of New Zealand), and Caroyln Davis (Walmart). This book is relatable, a fun read, and extremely inspiring. Thanks to Hachette for sharing an advance copy of the book with me!

[Charissa Pham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic read for those who have an itch to spark change in the world but don't know how. Budak gives provides a tool kit to become the change you like to see in the world. Even if you are not interested in making change on a large scale, this book is fantastic for learning how to make a positive change from where you are.

[Ananya Donapati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book that touches beyond just business and provides tangible mechanisms to build changemaker qualities. I have already started implementing some of the tips that the author outlines in areas like empathy, microleadership, and having a growth mindset. If you want to be a leader that actually creates meaningful change in the world, this book is for you.

[Brittany Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to fulfill their purpose, whether it be in their family, at their, job, or in their community. The chapter that resonated with me most was Chapter 8: Becoming the Leader You Wish You had as this helped me understand from a fundamental level that we don't necessarily need a strong role model or mentor in order to become one.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Becoming a Changemaker" was a great read for aspiring leaders and changemakers at any level and I found it particularly helpful as a grounding resource while starting a new role. The book was accessible while including clear strategic framework; was motivating without being intimidating; and provided practical lessons and suggested applications for anyone at any time.

[Paul]

Good stuff for leaders and aspiring ones. A good addition to your leadership library. This is polished material presented over a long time in a classroom setting.

I really appreciate the free review copy for review!!

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

An actionable story of how one can become a changemaker and take action now. An easy to follow guide that allows anyone to take action and invoke change in their part of the world. Well worth the time to read and implement.

[Joanna Puangrangsi Yee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful insights and motivational book.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid intro to change making with practical examples, especially useful for new professionals or people who have traditionally not seen themselves in leadership roles.

[Gatlin Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will be gifting this book to everyone on my team!

[Raffi Simel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars isn’t enough. I will read again and again.

[Ulrike Bungert · Rating 2 out of 5]

im Westen nichts Neues....

[Kat Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific read with lots of anecdotes and actionable guidance for anyone who wants to be more active in building their world towards a better version of what we can all be.

[Jill Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A blueprint for courageous, inspiring work

I’ve been waiting for this book my whole life. Even though I’ve been reading books on how to change the world for much of my life, this was the first book to really crystallize and offer both the strategy and the tactics for leading change — for anyone! If you’ve got a project in mind that will improve your community, this book will help bridge the gap from dream to reality. Can’t wait to talk about the concepts and stories with my students and followers.