Make Change Work: Staying Nimble, Relevant, and Engaged in a World of Constant Change

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Implementing and executing change is both science and art. It’s sociologic, psychological, and organizational principles and steps can be learned through study. The art of change is learned through experience. I have been extremely fortunate to work on change initiatives of all shapes and sizes—from relatively straightforward policy changes to complex cultural transformations—in a wide range of public and private sector organizations. This, as I was recently reminded by a client, is not my first rodeo. And each of these experiences has taught me the valuable lesson that every bull is different.

So to every one of those clients, thank you for trusting me to help you reach your goals.

For me, a book requires space, support, and motivation. My wife and business partner Mary willingly provided the space for me to write on weekends when it would have been nice to do something more fun. Dr. Jack Pennington, my brother, challenged me to think more deeply about how people respond to change. I appreciate the push.

The team at John Wiley & Sons, Inc., gave me the support and motivation to get this book off the ground and completed. Thank you to Shannon Vargo, Tiffany Colon, Susan Moran, and the entire production team. Matt Holt, you are a great book guy with excellent taste in music and bourbon. You were right about the cover.

I owe a huge thank you to my buddies in the business. You know who you are. You challenge me to live up to your standard, put up with my crap; and ...