Rapid Transformation: A 90-Day Plan for Fast and Effective Change

by Behnam Tabrizi

Profound organizational transformation takes years and, in most cases is unsuccessful, right? Not according to change expert Behnam Tabrizi. In Rapid Transformation: A 90-Day Plan for Fast and Effective Change , Tabrizi shows you how to accomplish successful transformational change in your firm in just 90 days. Based on ten years of research into more than 500 leading companies including 3M, IBM, GE, Nissan, Apple, Bay Networks, Verisign, HP and Best...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1422118894
• ISBN13: 9781422118894
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A brilliant analysis of "the ultimate power of transformation"

With regard to this book's title and to the model that Behnam N. Tabrizi proposes in this volume, it is important to note at the outset that he does not believe that organizational transformation can be completed in only three months. What he offers is a framework with which to formulate a program that, once implemented, may require 6-12 additional months (or more) to achieve the desired objectives. The proposed model has these characteristics: all-encompassing (i.e. "all aspects of the company, looking under all the rocks and leaving no stones unturned"), integrative (i.e. "various functions and processes within the organization" are synchronized), fast (i.e. "fully engaged in all [its] efforts in parallel, looking at everything at once" expeditiously), and have full, passionate commitment and buy-in, "especially at the top layers of the organization." Tabrizi rigorously examines six companies that have used the 90 days model: 3M, VeriSign, Nissan, Bay Networks, Apple, and ACI. All of them proceeded through a multi-phase process. Here's the timetable: Pretransformation (30-90 days) Phase 1: Diagnosis (30 days) Phase 2: Envisioning the future (30 days) Phase 3: Paving the road (30 days) Transformation implementation (6-12 months) Of course, these are general guidelines and the timetable will vary among organizations that commit themselves to transformation initiatives and progress of such initiatives will also vary, once formulated and then implemented. Barriers are inevitable and some will probably be the result of what James O'Toole has so aptly characterized as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." He correctly points out that "today's executives believe they are struggling with an unprecedented leadership challenge to create internal strategic unity within a chaotic external environment." This challenge is exacerbated by the fact that so many companies are now competing in what Thomas Friedman has described as a "flat world." Of special interest to me is what Tabrizi has to say about envisioning the future during the second phase, in Chapter 5. "Now, it is time for the teams to shift their focus and start looking at solutions for [the problems previously identified]. Over the next thirty days, with [various] pain points in mind, the teams will work on identifying various alternatives for treatment and remedy" by following this sequence: cascading goals > creating a set of metrics > rationalization of key areas > developing a set of "big ideas" > gap analysis > ongoing organizational excellence > get an early start on implementation [i.e. "picking low-hanging fruit" > Day 60 integration meeting > tiger teams. Tabrizi carefully explains what each of the steps in this sequence involves, and, correlates the importance of each to the other steps that precede and follow it. Along the way, he cites real-world examples from companies that include Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Nissan, VeriSign, Telefónica de España, Bay Networks, an

The best transformation book I have read, to this date

Outstanding book. A must read for all the executives of corporations. The author clearly defines three phases of transformation planning process and how to develop the plan, in detail. In addition, he goes through two phases of preplanning and the implementation process. I found his numerous examples of the successful and unsuccessful transformations, in different corporations, extremely useful. It is like years of lessons learned presented in one book. As an experienced professional, who has lead planning and implementation efforts for very complex Aerospace programs which required sense of urgency, found the authors provided models and tools very useful, logical and practical.

Make time for this one

This book should be mandatory reading for all business leaders and those in company executive level management who are trying to grow their businesses. The examples are very interesting and logical. Author's research was intensive and thorough. His argument is compelling. Rapid Transformation will soon be a "Bible" for change agents in companies.

The best business book ever written

How timely and brilliantly written is this book in such an economic climate...for all leaders,managers,Ceo's of companies who are or will be undergoing transformation . It guides you in a detailed step by step path towards understanding the process of change and how to manage it with ease and speed to a successful result. It is a masterpiece. It will create a revolution in managing change in organizations. Every chapter offers several templates that you can use right away and in particular, the chapter on employing an all encompassing cross functional rapid response team is a must read.

Outstanding Book By America's Brightest Change Expert

Most books just don't feel like they are worth all the reading. But then there are a select few books that have a huge impact on me. And very few from these select actually give me frameworks to go back to when I face a certain situation/problem at work. Rapid Transformation is one of these very few books. This book gives a tried and tested framework for change. And change is something that every company will face again and again. The framework has evolved from and been tested by some of the most successful transformations in companies like Bay Networks, 3M, Apple, GE, Nissan, Abbot, and many more (see page 282 of the book). In fact I have become such a fan of this book that I can bet you can predict how well the change your company is going through will be by just going through the checklist in this book.