- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Gower Publishing Ltd (28 Nov 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0566088770
- ISBN-13: 978-0566088773
- Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 17 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 676,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'The Invisible Organization is based on the considerable experience, processes and techniques used by Neil and his colleagues in developing successful change in organizations. The content and approach is of interest to consultants, business managers and leaders at all levels and particularly those involved in Organizational Development, Change and Human Resources' --Alan Cattell, Industrial and Commerical Training
'The Invisible Organization...has been on my book shelf for about 12 months, and I've read it three or four times. My heavy pencil annotations in the margins are testament to the usefulness of the book...I would rate this book four stars...' ----- Graham Durant-Law, Knowledge Matters
'The Invisible Organization...has been on my book shelf for about 12 months, and I've read it three or four times. My heavy pencil annotations in the margins are testament to the usefulness of the book...I would rate this book four stars...' ----- Graham Durant-Law, Knowledge Matters
Product Description
Despite valiant efforts and the advent of techniques such as delegation, career development, performance management, key performance indicators, programme and project management, social network analysis, and employee engagement, most organizations struggle to beat the 70 per cent failure rule for profound, people-disruptive business change. Surveys show that most employees are still disengaged from their work. Innovation is sluggish and agility elusive. Harnessing the hidden potential of your workforce can be a slow, often painful process.Neil Farmer's "The Invisible Organisation" explains how to adapt your organization's design to the informal networks that form most of the basis for communication between managers and employees. The book explores five key themes: executive leadership - a little autocracy and a lot of collaboration; how senior managers can enable and facilitate change; effective first-line management - in most organizations up to 60 per cent need to be replaced and women need to occupy far more significant roles; HR Managers - a key role, but most don't make the transition; the value of local influencers and those with extensive personal networks - how to identify them and increase their roles across all forms of business change; and, radical changes to white-collar outsourcing - to an in-house outsourcing service.This is an important, if somewhat painful, call to arms for leaders and HR specialists across all organizations.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Expensive - promises more than it delivers on organization design and change management.,
This review is from: The Invisible Organization: How Informal Networks Can Lead Organizational Change (Hardcover)
My interest flagged after a few pages and did not really revive until right at the end of the book. The content is very wordy and full of management speak, he does not have much to say that is positive about HR people or practices.
The best part of the book is to be found in appendix two. This covers - 'Final Reflections on Leadership and Change.' This is relatively interesting and could be expanded, to replace the main content of the book so that it holds the readers attention; it appears to be written as an afterthought and although rambling in places has a few pages of useful content. The material - page 189, on why organizations 'drift' from the 'desired' state is very useful to anyone looking to sharpen up organization effectiveness, but it does not go far enough. The author has teamed up with a provider of software, and this product is 'pushed' throughout the book. This is basically a one product solution based on organization network analysis - ONA. This comes across as a 'Dalek' style of management. The 'scanning' process of employees - to 'root out undesirable behaviour' and people, through processes along the lines of reprogramming/removal etc would be a good basis for a script for a Doctor Who programme. Many books on change management/organization design, cover the ground more comprehensively than this publication, which focusses mostly on the 'informal organization.' See my other reviews and also the website of the Organization Design Forum, for a wide ranging reading list. Finally on page 110, the author states: 'Womens brains are designed more effeciently than mens - where communication, multi-tasking and collaboration are concerned' This sort of message/statement can be found throughout the book. The basic philosophy, is that large numbers of males need replacing in management roles! As a mere male and not a neurosurgeon, who am I to disagree - as the private in Dad's Army said 'we are all doomed!' Stan Felstead - Interchange Resources - UK.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great overview on informal networks and organisational change,
By
This review is from: The Invisible Organization: How Informal Networks Can Lead Organizational Change (Hardcover)
I found this book helpful in explaining and exploring the concept of informal networks.
I liked the acknowledgment that these are a reality (our only choice is whether or not to engage with them) and they co-exist alongside the formal structures and networks - it's not an either or. Most organisations don't know how to engage with these and many don't acknowledge their significance. The book clearly articulates the benefits of engaging with these networks for effective change implementation. It offers practical ideas on how to do this. It also outlines one approach for mapping them. Two things I'd have liked more of - citations for some of the data (e.g. `leadership failure is strongly associated with command and control management'); and a review of the tools for mapping the networks.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fresh perspective on change,
By
This review is from: The Invisible Organization: How Informal Networks Can Lead Organizational Change (Hardcover)
The author claims that to be successful in creating organisational change you have to work with the informal networks scattered around the organisation. The trouble is that these informal networks are hard to locate, and we often draw the wrong conclusions about who is actually in these networks.
The author highlights a tool for identifying these networks, or more specifically identifying the people who are going to make change happen in your business. These are the change influencers who are supported by those people who are open to change. This approach to change is refreshing, as organisations often focus on the formal structure within the organiation to make chnage happen. The author suggests that this may be the reason why so many change initiatives fail. I particulary liked the views and clues pieces showered throughout the book. The author shows that he has really researched his subject by referencing articles on the change process. I also liked the fact that the author has summarised each chapter. I find this such a useful learning tool and I don't know why more authors dont do this.
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