Transforming Organizations : Engaging the 4Cs for Powerful Organizational Learning and Change

In a world where current political climates and management cultures make risk aversion commonplace, Transforming Organizations shows how large and cumbersome organizations can adapt to an increasingly volatile and uncertain operating environment through the 4 Cs: Creativity, Critical reflection, Communication, and Collaboration. Based on extensive research in both the education and business sectors, the authors show how the 4 Cs can be embedded and enacted in many different types of organizations to make them more effective and responsive to emerging challenges, threats, and opportunities.

The book makes clear links between leading and learning, because leadership is no longer just a role for CEOs, CFOs, and senior managers. For organizations to be flexible and agile in the 21st century, the majority of the employees must exercise leadership--something that can only happen if learning is standard feature of that leadership, AND incorporates key 21st century skills (the 4 Cs themselves). However, there is a marked gap between companies knowing what they should do in order to "be flexible," "be creative," and "have clear channels of communication," and how to make that happen in reality.

Written for those who have become disillusioned or frustrated with business practices that cannot meet the fast-moving demands of the 21st century, Transforming Organizations provides evidence and inspiration for doing business differently. The strategies and approaches discussed have been taken from the authors' work in real businesses, both large and small, and are supplemented by a number of illustrative case studies.

“My Cs about Michael and Miranda's 4Cs: this book has compelling content, case studies, considered lessons, and provides coherency and clarity. It is first class. A must-read for anyone tasked with leading change. Transforming Organizations is a concrete catalyst for change.” —Organizational change management rebel with a cause; author; facilitator; coach; speaker and trainer

“Taking constant change and contradiction as givens, Anderson and Jefferson provide an invaluable set of tools – “coherence makers” – to interrogate, push and organize our thinking and actions toward organizational transformation. Numerous rich and current case examples illustrate not so much why to apply these tools but how to do so effectively.” —PhD, Professor of Practice, University of Virginia Darden School of Business; author of Giving Voice To Values

“The authors have brilliantly weaved fact, illustrative storytelling, scholarly research, and industry examples to artfully bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality in presenting the challenges of instituting change in organizations that are feverishly working to adapt to the complexities of the “post-normal times” of the twenty-first century. They've produced a rock solid strategic road map for success in transforming organizations via the 4Cs!” —PhD, Associate Professor, Heller College of Business, Roosevelt University (Chicago); Past President, Association of Leadership Educators (2016-2017)