Harold Schroeder’s The Art and Science of Transformation (2016) is an important contribution to the comprehension of the ever-changing field of organizational management. Schroder is a renowned Toronto-based management consultant with several decades of experience advising boards on crucial issues of change management. He is recognized for his superior relationship management, problem-solving, communications, and negotiations skills. He is experienced is building organizational capacity and achieving accountability.
In Art and Science of Transformation, Schroeder emphasises that in today’s business environment which is rapidly changing, organizations are required to undergo frequent transformations to remain competitive and efficient. He cautions that as most of such transformations are inherently risky, they fail if not handled astutely.
In his seminal book, Schroeder explains the concepts of ‘art’ and ‘science’ of transformation. “’Science’ of transformation is the use of change management tools, methods and techniques, such as those set out in the Project Management Body of Knowledge and including elements such as planning, resource estimation and risk analysis. ‘Art’ of transformation is the softer, people-related skills and attributes that are often personal in nature or develop from exceptional learning. These include communications and inter-personal skills, leadership and the type of attributes sometimes referred to in terms of ‘acumen’ or ‘emotional intelligence’.”
The book is a fascinating study of the various factors that need to be adequately addressed by an organization not only when embarking upon a major shift in organizational paradigm, but also in the day-to-day management of people and projects. He observes, “Not all transformations require the same input or combination of art and science; the required skills and the balance of art and science will vary depending on factors such as project complexity, numbers and characteristics of stakeholders and perceived business risks. In any organizational transformation, it is crucial to achieving the right balance of art and science.”
The Art and Science of Transformation is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of organizational change, especially in an environment where political policy changes necessitate rapid adjustments. The book is of interest to all – experts and non-experts because it breaks down the process of transformation management into specific modules and explains each of these processes in an easily-understandable manner.
Read more about the book here: Harold Schroeder’s Art & Science of Transformation
And you may buy the book here: The Art & Science of Transformation
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