A review of
Changemakers How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World
by Maria Giudice and Christopher Ireland
Rosenfeld Media, LLC
272 pages, 14 chapters
About this book
A good reference for Methods/How-To
Primary audience: Researchers and designers who have some or significant experience with the topic
Writing style: Matter of fact
Text density: Mostly text
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Changemakers: How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World is a transformative book that celebrates the visionary concept of changemakers, coined by the esteemed Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka. He said, “Changemakers are people who can see the patterns around them, identify the problems in any situation, figure out ways to solve the problem, organize fluid teams, lead collective action, and then continually adapt as situations change.” The authors adeptly capture the essence of this powerful mindset, in which problems are not seen as static obstacles but rather as dynamic opportunities for adaptable solutions.
This book captivates readers from the very first chapter as the authors embark on a thought-provoking exploration of futuristic advancements, the challenges that impede positive outcomes, and the transformative power of change. With precision and insight, they pointed out three areas that challenge achieving positive and desired outcomes: a fragmented world, intractable problems, and outdated approaches to making change. Through illuminating comparisons of past and present scenarios, the narrative brilliantly showcases triumphant examples, such as Chef José Andrés’ humanitarian efforts, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the paradigm-shifting success of Web3, which defy traditional rules and fuel a curiosity to explore further.
The book delves into the demanding journey that changemakers undertake, even when it means standing up for what is right against popular opinion. Courage, optimism, passion, values, integrity, and a host of other soft skills and competencies are revealed as essential qualities for effective changemakers. The authors illuminate how to navigate organizational, cultural, sponsorship, and resource allocation complexities, ensuring that change can manifest and deliver the desired outcomes. One of the challenges the changemakers must overcome is resistance from key stakeholders. As a solution to that problem, the book showcases an insightful framework named the SCARF model developed by Dr. David Rock, the co-founder and CEO of the esteemed NeuroLeadership Institute. The SCARF model, an acronym for five domains influencing people’s responses to perceived threats, serves as a practical tool for interpreting and addressing resistance. Stakeholders’ negative reactions to suggestions for change are analyzed using the SCARF model, enabling a deeper understanding of the underlying reasons behind their responses. It provides a valuable framework to identify and navigate potential obstacles in the change process and serves as a practical tool for interpreting and addressing resistance.
Figure 1: The SCARF model covers five domains influencing people’s responses to perceived threats.
In the final chapter, the authors synthesize their profound insights with the threads of discourse throughout the book to reinforce the central theme of the transformative power of change and the three areas challenging positive, desired outcomes: a fragmented world, intractable problems, and outdated approaches to making change. With a masterful stroke, the authors reiterate the key themes, leaving readers with a profound understanding of the intricate dynamics at play in our complex world. They emphasize the significance of a design-led approach to navigate the complexities of change in the future. Acknowledging the importance of purpose and embracing failures on the path to success, the book explores diverse scenarios in which change encounters obstacles and provides invaluable guidance on learning from failures. The book also explains how learning from failures is like the Gartner Hype Cycle. This cycle’s trajectory shows a pattern often seen in the adoption of new technologies. Ideas generate high expectations initially, followed by disillusionment when they fall short. However, these ideas gradually find acceptance over time.
Figure 2: The Gartner Hype Cycle. This cycle’s trajectory shows a pattern often seen in the adoption of new technologies.
Throughout the book, the authors advocate for a design-thinking approach, encouraging readers to view all challenges as design problems. By examining problems through the lens of design, the book illustrates how to identify the core issues, define goals, and select the most suitable approaches, processes, and models to drive transformative change. The importance of putting together the right team, setting strategic plans, conducting thorough research, and gathering insights from multiple perspectives is emphasized, making this book a comprehensive guide for all changemakers at any stage of their journeys.
Changemakers is a compelling and enlightening read that prompts introspection and ignites the desire for meaningful change. With its rich insights, real-world examples, and practical guidance, this book serves as a beacon, lighting the way for those who dare to embrace change and become the transformative leaders of our time.
Here is the link to read the first full chapter for free and a podcast with the authors and the publisher.
[Bluebox]
Impact Matrix
A classic 2×2 matrix framework called Impact Matrix is “a tool that helps make sense of competing projects by categorizing them in terms of their importance to the organization and the effort they require.”
Former Chief Product Officer and Co-CEO at Autodesk, Amar Hanspal, explained: “You have to get small wins before you go for the big change. If you’re trying to drive lasting change, you break it down into three or four steps. Make the changes early on that allow you to leave a backdoor open in order to hit the undo button if something goes wrong. You get an early win with one thing, and you then propagate it to three or four. So that confidence builds and is starting to be about a cultural change.”
Shamima is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in User Centered Design and is very passionate about leadership, compassion, balance, efficiency, customer success, and continuous improvement by design. She was the top student in her Organizational Leadership class in graduate school. Currently, she is part of the Experience Strategy and Design team at Salesforce.