HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management

by Renée Mauborgne, Harvard Business Review, W. Chan Kim

Most company's change initiatives fail. Yours don't have to.



If you read nothing else on change management, read these 10 articles (featuring “Leading Change,” by John P. Kotter). We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selected the most important ones to help you spearhead change in your organization.



HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management will inspire you to:



• Lead change through eight critical stages
• Establish a sense of urgency
• Overcome addiction to the status quo
• Mobilize commitment
• Silence naysayers
• Minimize the pain of change
• Concentrate resources
• Motivate change when business is good



This collection of bestselling articles includes: featured article "Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail" by John P. Kotter, "Change Through Persuasion," "Leading Change When Business Is Good: An Interview with Samuel J. Palmisano," "Radical Change, the Quiet Way," "Tipping Point Leadership," "A Survival Guide for Leaders," "The Real Reason People Won't Change," "Cracking the Code of Change," "The Hard Side of Change Management," and "Why Change Programs Don't Produce Change."

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Management, Audiobook, Professional Development, Buisness

Audible Audio

First published November 17, 2015

About the author

Renée Mauborgne is The INSEAD Distinguished Fellow and a Professor of Strategy at INSEAD, the world’s second largest business school. She is also Co-Director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute. Her book Blue Ocean Strategy, co-authored with W. Chan Kim, has sold 3.6 million copies and is recognized as one of the most iconic and impactful strategy books ever written. It is being published in a record-breaking 44 languages and is a bestseller across five continents. Mauborgne is ranked in the top 3 management gurus in the world in the Thinkers50 listing of the World’s Top Management Gurus. She was selected for the 2011 Leadership Hall of Fame by Fast Company magazine and was named among the world's top 5 best business school professors by MBA Rankings. She also received the Nobels Colloquia Prize for Leadership on Business and Economic Thinking. She was born in the United States. Mauborgne served on President Barack Obama’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the President’s two terms. She is also a Fellow of the World Economic Forum.

Reviews

[Carolina Esteves de Andrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just invested in myself with the HBR’S 10 Must Reads Collection by Harvard Business Review Press. This series is really good because each book has 10 of the best articles published by Harvard University on each topic. I think it is a must read for any ambitious manager, new or experienced leader.

It is easy to read, each book has approximately 300 pages. Each chapter is an article from great authors such as Peter F. Drucker, Theodore Levitt, Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton and others. One of the things that I liked on these books is that each chapter has a box called Idea in Brief, which gives you an idea of the basic concept of the chapter and most of them has very interesting case studies as well.
I highly recommend you to get this collection because will inspire you with ideas and knowledge that will accelerate both your own growth and company. Each title includes timeless advice that will be relevant regardless of an ever-changing business environment. The titles include: Leadership, Managing Yourself, The Essentials, Change Management,Managing People and Strategy.

One of my favorite articles were:

What Makes an Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker (HBR’S 10 Must Reads On Leadership)

Putting the Balanced Scorecard to Work by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton (HBR’S 10 Must Reads The Essentials)

Managing Oneself by Peter F. Drucker (HBR’S 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself)

The Real Reason People won’t Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey (HBR’S 10 Must Reads On Change Management )

What Great Managers Do by Marcus Buckingham (HBR’S 10 Must Reads On Managing People)

The Secrets to Successful Strategy Execution by Gary L. Neilson, Karla L. Martin, and Elisabeth Powers (HBR’S 10 Must Reads On Strategy)

“Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes “ Peter F. Drucker

“The ability to change constantly and effectively is made by high-level continuity.” Michael E. Porter

[Brahm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mix of essays, some that I'd say are 5-star and a couple that are real snoozers - "Good" overall.

I'd recommend this book to anyone in an organization that is facing a lot of change. If you're in leadership there are probably some good insights, and if you're not in leadership you'll at least be able to get inside their heads and see what they think about.

[Vera · Rating 3 out of 5]

First articles were better than the second half but it was nice to see different perspectives on change management.

[entereletras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sencillo de leer y muuuy amigable para personas que (como yo jejeje) apenas comienzan a empaparse de estos temas.

[Mykolas Petrauskas · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a good crash course into Organisational Change, but does not add a lot if you already have familiarity with a topic. Some great classic articles on why change initiatives fail and why people have diffuculty changing. Reading through the book, had a few moments of "should remember this" - but for a book called "must reads" would have expected much more of those. It is a worthy refresher nontheless.

[Leah Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into different forms of leadership. Broken up into short stories and tangle methods. Great Read!

[Barry Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A robust collection of HBR articles on the topic of change management:

Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail
- no urgency, no powerful guiding coalitions, no vision, no communication of vision

Change Through Persuasion
-set stage. frame the turnaround plan, manage the mood, prevent backsliding

Leading Change When Business is Good: An Interview with Samuel J. Palmisano
- gather input on values, analyze input, identify obstacles, launch change initiatives to address obstacles

Radical Change, the Quiet Way
- employ disruptive self-expression, verbal jujitsu, variable-term opportunities, strategic alliance building

Tipping Point Leadership
- address the four hurdles: resource, cognition, political, motivational

A Survival Guide for Leaders
- operate in and above the fray, court the uncommitted, cook the conflict, place the work where it belongs, manage yourself, anchor yourself. determine if it is adaptive or technical change

The Real Reason People Won’t Change
- offers a series of questions to address the following: diagnose the competing commitment, identify the big assumption, create a sentence stem that inverts the competing commitment with a “fill in the blank” statement, test and consider replacing the big assumption

Cracking the Code of Change
- contrasts theory E (economic measures) and Theory O (culture and human capability) - both have value regarding the change dimensions of goals, leadership, focus, process, and reward systems

The Hard Side of Change Management
- provides a formula to evaluate the potential success of a change process (win, worry or woe based on score) by assigning numeral values to four areas: duration, integrity, commitment, and effort (DICE)

Why Change Programs Don’t Produce Change
- mobilize change commitment by joint diagnosis, develop a shared commitment for organizing, foster consensus/competence/cohesion for vision, spread revitalization to all departments without pushing from the top, institutionalize revitalization through formal policies systems and structures...after it is running, monitor and adjust the process in response to problems

[Vasundhara Jha · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin with, I have a few recommendations here, if you are in a hurry and don't want to go through all the articles here.

1. Tipping Point Leadership- This ought to be read by everyone, but esp by people at top positions in Service Industries. It is a brilliant account of the revival of the New York Police Department, and how it was completely a one-man show! This would feel more like a well-narrated adventure story than a monotonous Change Management article. :)
2. Cracking the code of change- Again, very insightful on the types of goals you may have and how accordingly your change styles would differ!
3. Radical Change, the Quiet Way- Changes can be as easily brought by tempered, unsung heroes as by those who do so with pomp, drama & style. Makes you think: What can you, as an individual, in not a very powerful place of leadership do to bring about changes, even small changes for the better?

Overall, It'd be a good learning experience for a reader from any educational/work background.

[Robbie Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the layout and feel of this series and this is a good one to start. Lots of very clever people writing about their research on change management in ten or so pages.

Not five stars because of the layout. After a page or two of each article there’s side bars and summaries for the entire article which knock the flow of the text out of sync. Why? Wait til the end! I want to read the whole article first and THEN look at a summary and application. Smart people writing…strange decision from book designers and publishers to do this.

Most are great and maybe even worth buying the book for (Kotter’s article, leading change the quiet way, the hard side of change management and the DICE model are great). Some are a waste of reading time and could have said what they said in two paragraphs rather than twenty pages.

Regardless, it’s worth reading and dipping into time and again for anyone involved in change and leadership more generally.

[Zdenek Sykora · Rating 4 out of 5]

"HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management" is an indispensable collection of articles curated by the Harvard Business Review that offers valuable insights into the complex realm of change management. In this compilation, leading experts in the field share their wisdom and strategies for successfully navigating organizational change.

This book covers a wide range of topics, from the psychology of change to practical tools for implementation. Each article is well-written and thought-provoking, providing readers with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with change. One of the book's strengths is its ability to combine theory with real-world examples, making the content relevant and actionable for both leaders and practitioners.

The articles in this collection are timeless and continue to be relevant in an ever-evolving business landscape. They emphasize the importance of communication, employee engagement, and adaptive leadership in achieving successful change initiatives. Whether you're a seasoned change management professional or a newcomer to the field, this book offers valuable insights and best practices that can be applied to drive positive change in any organization.

While "HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management" provides a comprehensive overview of the subject, it may be overwhelming for those looking for a quick and light read. The depth of analysis and the academic nature of some articles may not be suitable for all readers, particularly those seeking a more practical and concise guide.

In summary, this book is a must-have for anyone responsible for leading or participating in change initiatives within their organization. It provides a wealth of knowledge and best practices that can help businesses adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world. While it may require a bit of commitment to digest all the content, the insights gained are well worth the effort.

[Erick Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an okay book..challenging read - but it did a good job explaining why organizational change is so difficult and why many change initiatives fail despite good intentions.

My biggest takeaway was that real change is a long-term process, not a one-time program. Organizations develop habits, cultures, and ways of working over years, and those patterns cannot be changed quickly. Sustainable change requires persistence, reinforcement, and leadership commitment over time.

The book also reinforced that successful change depends on the right people. Change agents and strong leaders are needed to drive the effort, but they must be supported by senior leadership. If leadership does not model the behaviors they expect from others, credibility is lost and change stalls.

I also found value in the practical frameworks discussed throughout the book. The DICE model (Duration, Integrity, Commitment, and Effort) provides a useful way to assess the likelihood of success for a change initiative. The change management questions were equally valuable because they help uncover the underlying behaviors, fears, and assumptions that often prevent people from embracing change.

Again, it was an okay book - challenging read. It provides a solid foundation in change management and serves as a good reminder that meaningful change is less about programs and announcements, and more about leadership, culture, accountability, and sustained effort over time.

[Boris Kisov · Rating 5 out of 5]

"On Change Management" by HBR is like having a seasoned pro in your corner when the whole office is losing its mind over yet another "transformation." It doesn’t sugarcoat it—change is messy, people resist, and half the battle is just getting folks to stop panicking long enough to listen.
The book lays out the hard truths: you can’t just announce a change and expect it to stick. You’ve got to sell the why, listen to the pushback, and actually walk the talk yourself. It’s packed with real cases where companies either nailed it or face-planted, so you learn what works (and what blows up in your face).
No fluff, no corporate buzzwords. Just a straightforward playbook for when you’re staring down the barrel of "the new way we’re doing things" and need to make it happen without a revolt.

[William Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any collection of articles, some will be better or more relevant to you than others. This collection is solid and of the quality you expect from HBR. The content spans from turnarounds to cultural shifts, covering the do's and dont's of training programs as well as how to introduce cultural change. The content here is gears towards C-Suite executives but is useful for change agents throughout all levels of an organization.

[Toshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the original article of 8 steps of transforming organization by John Kotter, after learning this in MBA course, is to solidify my action steps to start taking the 8 steps.

The same for immunity to change. Learned in MBA class, but reading this article was revelating my hidden/competing commitment.

8 Other articles are excellent and inter-related / can enhance change management all together. But I will have to come back to these articles time to time. Not now to read deeper.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Successful change management is rooted in the application of industrial psychology - which is based in elements of psychology and sociology as they apply to a work environment. As a project manager, the writings included here are fascinating because I have my own case studies to apply them to. Back in college, my class in industrial psychology was theory only and difficult to learn. I will be taking some learnings from here and try to use them at work. Insightful reading!

[Javier Sastre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Típico libro de HBR donde se mezclan artículos que te proporcionan enfoques y herramientas potentes y utilizables, con otros anodinos y algunos perfectamente prescindibles sobre la gestión del cambio en el mundo de la empresa y las barreras para conseguirlo, uno de los temas clave hoy en día donde la IA tiene buena parte del conocimiento genérico de las cosas, no el práctico en muchos casos.
Entre los primeros el clásico de Kotter, el de Kim y Mauborgne (los creadores de la teoría de los Océanos Azules) con una caso muy interesante en el ámbito de la policía (aunque es posible que algo idealizado) y el de Sirkin, Keenan y Jackson.

[Mircea Nistor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the articles are older but the collection is a great start if you are interested in change management. I was complacently new to the subject and hoped this collection is a good followup to Kotter's "Leading Change". I was not disappointed. I started to understand better the topic and it was easier to navigate trough the sea of countless titles on change and change management.

[Samer Chidiac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like what the cover says... If you read nothing else on change management, read these 10 articles.

It combined multiple views on Change along with useful tactics and strategies, that went through the individual, the teams and the organization.

Highly recommended to anyone exploring the topic of Change management & transformation.

[Sonali Gidwani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some articles are interesting and worth the read, as are the change tips throughout the book. However some articles are quite old and too rudimentary - a new edition would benefit from modern case studies from consulting organisations and governments, and more importance should be given to the future of work and how human beings have to adapt to real world change

[Scott Rappaport · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly great examples, some good ones too

Several different types of change management. The anecdotal evidence was good and some of the research was better. Some of the research seemed to be in progress at the time of this publishing.

[Chrystel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like most HBR books like this I’ve read the content was good but it was not presented in an engaging way. I did appreciate the specific examples and ways to implement and encourage change, however improving the way the articles were written could have made them more interesting to read.

[Ingrid Bagarean · Rating 5 out of 5]

HBR's series are very insightful and prove to be super useful in real life, as many detailed examples and lessons are presented in all articles. Loved this one in particular because I get to compare and associate the events with those in my field of work. Truly worth reading!

[Alexis Volen · Rating 4 out of 5]

great overview

If you’re looking for change management strategies, this book has the complete gamut of methods and tips. Very textbook as expected and one that you can jump around to the articles that apply most to your needs.

[April Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admittedly this book was written many years ago so its examples are dated. Nonetheless its concepts are pertinent yet redundant. Like many other management books, I feel they could be half the length and provided excessively repetitive examples to drive home the same point.

[Giancarlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Change management isn't anything easy. This book is a very progessional guide on it.

[Fred Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dated but some sound articles in here (not all ten but enough to make it worth it).

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some articles were amazingly helpful, others were so-so.

[Mikko Hyvärinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Few articles about change management in a large organization. Generally good stuff, but much of it is yesterday’s news... Still: worth reading.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must-read for any leader and manager involved in change programs

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read this for class. Most of the articles were interesting and not too hard to understand.