Friday, April 3, 2009
Initial Discussion on How to Lead Change When You Don?t Know Where You?re Going
Washington, D.C. 4/3/2009 ? A new live forum and podcast series from leading change management expert and best-selling business author, Rick Maurer, is giving executives and leaders a strategic tool for addressing and overcoming the growing sense of fear and paralysis from current economic challenges. Designed specifically for leaders undergoing change to share their experiences and knowledge, the initial one hour forum session, ?How to Lead Change When You Don?t Know Where You?re Going? provided a rich group conversation and exchange of ideas with valuable real-time insights from Maurer and leading executives on: what keeps us from using the tools we already know, how to work effectively in spite of fear, and how to gain the courage to prevail over the national paralysis of this economy.
An audio of the forum is available on podcast at
http://www.changewithoutmigraines.com/OpenSourceProject.htm ?and it?s free"
Maurer?s forum and podcast series on change management is designed to provide important insights to executives, leaders and consultants undergoing or responsible for change at their organizations, as well as those interested in developing strategies to overcome the paralysis of these tough economic times.
The focus of the initial one hour forum ?How to Lead Change When You Don?t Know Where You?re Going?, and upcoming white paper, is on what keeps us from using the tools we already know and how to work effectively in spite of the fear, panic, dread, and stress of the faltering economy. ?It is not about what strategies to use, because most effective leaders know those things already,? said Maurer. Instead, Maurer focuses on the knee-jerk reactions that can hinder a leader?s ability to apply the skills that serve them well at other times.
According to Maurer, the forum also addressed, ?untested beliefs, like Lehman Brothers thought ?we are too big to fail?, which still drive decision making in organizations.? And, he offered five key tips to make sure leaders are reacting rationally to these challenging economic situations.
People from Fortune 100 companies, non-profits, government agencies and consultants were on the initial call. ?The forum focused me and gave me a new lens to see the work world as it stands today,? said one participant. Another person noted, ?Maurer?s forum and podcast series is a great invitation to let me examine my own beliefs.?
Maurer opened the initial forum by noting, ?Our first forum is a ?conversation on a specific topic? not a seminar. Through rich conversation with bright leaders we will be able to spark ideas to overcome the fear to act. The challenge is not knowing what to do, but having the courage to do it.?
?Not applying what you already know ? and using the leadership skills you already have ? is the problem,? insists Maurer. ?You can?t develop good strategies if there are things you are unwilling to look at. I predict that many organizations will suffer needlessly simply because they failed to use the tools they already have.?
Maurer has helped hundreds of large and small organizations, from Lockheed Martin to Rohm & Haas, understand and implement change. Now, through live forums and podcasts he shows people how they can lead change on their own.
These live forums and podcasts are part of a bigger project Maurer recently launched, the Open Source Project, which provides leaders and consultants free online tools so they can build support for change in their organizations. ?Open Source allows people to ?get under the hood? and tinker with my theory,? Maurer said. ?I want people to improve my theory and practice of change management.?
The Open Source Project is an online collection of Maurer?s change management guidelines and professional presentation materials called Change without Migraines?. It includes Maurer?s ebook, Introduction to Change without Migraines, short videos, podcasts, forums, an outline for a half-day Change without Migraines training session, and a Power Point presentation depicting his Cycle of Change theory and the 3 Levels of Resistance and Support.
To listen to the podcast ?How to Lead Change When You Don?t Know Where You?re Going? or to join the next live forum, please visit
http://www.changewithoutmigraines.com/OpenSourceProject.htm Maurer?s free whitepaper of the same title will be available in May, 2009.
For Rick Maurer?s Open Source Project, including the free ebook ?Introduction to Change without Migraines?, visit,
http://www.changewithoutmigraines.com/OpenSourceProject.htm or call 703-525-7074.
For more information or to schedule an interview with change management expert Rick Maurer, call 703-525-7074 or email
rick@beyondresistance.com.
Contact Information
Website: Visit Maurer & Associates website at www.BeyondResistance.com
Phone: 703-525-7074
Email: Robin Kramer at
robin@beyondresistance.com Blog: www.ChangeManagementNews.com
Fax: 703-525-0183
About Rick Maurer:
Rick Maurer, president of Maurer & Associates, is a renowned change management expert, speaker and best-selling author. Rick helps people lead change without migraines?! Many organizations from telecoms to healthcare to aerospace have applied Rick?s unique approach to managing change.
Due to Rick?s expertise and the popularity of his books, ?Beyond the Wall of Resistance?, ?Why Don?t You Want What I Want?? and ?Feedback Toolkit?, Rick?s opinion has been sought by the media including CNBC, NBC Nightly News, The Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, Fortune, USA Today, The Economist, Industry Week, Nation's Business and many trade publications and wire services. In addition to his consulting practice, Rick serves on the faculty of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and is a popular keynote speaker to executives, consultants and managers from a variety of companies from Fortune 500 icons to small private companies.
Rick Maurer offers advice on Change Management in his books: ?Beyond the Wall of Resistance? and ?Why Don?t You Want What I Want??. Books by Rick Maurer are available online at www.Amazon.com or on Maurer & Associates website www.BeyondResistance.com
Book Titles by Rick Maurer:
Beyond the Wall of Resistance
Why Don?t You Want What I Want?
Feedback Toolkit
About Maurer & Associates:
Maurer & Associates works with leaders who want to Lead Change without Migraines?. They provide the expertise to help leaders identify even deeply hidden resistance, overcome it rapidly, and implement even the most difficult strategic and tactical changes. Their approach to leading change is unique. Knowing how to work with resistance is key to turning skepticism and opposition into support for major new initiatives. If leaders understand resistance they can often avoid it before it occurs - or get things back on track when a change is about to derail. Clients have included Lockheed Martin, Deloitte & Touche, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AOL, National GeoSpatial Intelligence, Rohm & Haas, Syngenta, Charles Schwab, Verizon, National Education Association, The Washington Post, NASA, Tulane University Hospital, Kaiser Permanente and many government agencies.
Website visitors can become part of Maurer & Associates user community by signing up for their free ?Tools for a Change? online newsletter at www.BeyondResistance.com.
END