The change handbook

The
Change Handbook


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The
Change Handbook
THE DEFINITIVE RESOURCE ON TODAY’S BEST
METHODS FOR ENGAGING WHOLE SYSTEMS

Peggy Holman, Tom Devane,
Steven Cady, and Associates


The Change Handbook
Edited collection copyright © 2007 Peggy Holman, Tom Devane, and Steven Cady (Editors).
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or
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Second Edition
Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-379-8
PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-57675-509-9
2007-1
Copyedited by Frances Lyon. Production services and composition by Westchester Book Group. Proofread by
Katherine Deyell. Indexed by WordCo Indexing Services.


Contents

Preface

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Acknowledgements

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Introduction and Essential Fundamentals

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

xi
xxi
1

Part I: Navigating Through the Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15

1. The Big Picture: Making Sense of More Than Sixty Methods . . . . . . . . .
2. Selecting Methods: The Art of Mastery
—Steven Cady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16
28

3. Preparing to Mix and Match Methods
—Peggy Holman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4. Sustainability of Results
—Tom Devane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Part II: The Methods

59

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Adaptable Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
In-depth
5. Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change

—David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
6. Collaborative Loops
—Dick Axelrod and Emily Axelrod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89


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7. Dialogue and Deliberation
—Sandy Heierbacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

102

8. Integrated Clarity: Energizing How We Talk and What We Talk about in
Organizations
—Marie Miyashiro and Marshall Rosenberg . . . . . . . . . . . . .

118

9. Open Space Technology
—Harrison Owen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

135

10. The Technology of Participation
—Marilyn Oyler and Gordon Harper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

149

11. Whole-Scale Change

—Sylvia L. James and Paul Tolchinsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

162

12. The World Café
—Juanita Brown, Ken Homer, and David Isaacs . . . . . . . . . . . .

179

Thumbnails
13. Ancient Wisdom Council
—WindEagle and RainbowHawk Kinney-Linton . . . . . . . . . . .

195

14. Appreciative Inquiry Summit
—James D. Ludema and Frank J. Barrett . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

201

15. The Conference Model
—Dick Axelrod and Emily Axelrod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

207

16. Consensus Decision Making
—Tree Bressen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

212

17. Conversation Café
—Vicki Robin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

218

18. Dynamic Facilitation
—Jim Rough and DeAnna Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

223

19. The Genuine Contact Program
—Birgitt Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

227

20. Human Systems Dynamics
—Glenda H. Eoyang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

234

21. Leadership Dojo
—Richard Strozzi-Heckler

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

239

22. Evolutions of Open Systems Theory
—Merrelyn Emery and Donald de Guerre . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

244

23. OpenSpace-Online Real-Time Methodology
—Gabriela Ender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

250


contents
24. Organization Workshop
—Barry Oshry and Tom Devane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

256

25. PeerSpirit Circling: Creating Change in the Spirit of Cooperation
—Sarah MacDougall and Christina Baldwin . . . . . . . . . . . . .

261

26. Power of Imagination Studio: A Further Development of the Future
Workshop Concept
—Petra Eickhoff and Stephan G. Geffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

267

27. Real-Time Strategic Change
—Robert “Jake” Jacobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

273

28. SimuReal: Action Learning in Hyperdrive
—Catherine Perme and Alan Klein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

278

29. Study Circles
—Martha L. McCoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

283

30. Think Like a Genius: Realizing Human Potential Through the Purposeful
Play of Metaphorming
—Todd Siler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

288

31. Web Lab’s Small Group Dialogues on the Internet Commons
—Steven N. Pyser, J.D., and Marc N. Weiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

294

Planning Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In-depth
32. Dynamic Planning and the Power of Charrettes
—Bill Lennertz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

299

300

33. Future Search: Common Ground Under Complex Conditions
—Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

316

34. Scenario Thinking
—Chris Ertel, Katherine Fulton, and Diana Scearce . . . . . . . . . .

331

35. Search Conference
—Merrelyn Emery and Tom Devane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

347

Thumbnails
36. Community Summits
—Gilbert Steil, Jr., and Mal Watlington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

365

37. Large Group Scenario Planning
—Gilbert Steil, Jr., and Michele Gibbons-Carr . . . . . . . . . . . .

370

38. SOAR: A New Approach to Strategic Planning
—Jackie Stavros, David Cooperrider, and D. Lynn Kelley . . . . . . . .

375

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39. Strategic Forum
—Chris Soderquist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

381

40. Strategic Visioning: Bringing Insight to Action
—David Sibbet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

386

41. The 21st Century Town Meeting: Engaging Citizens in Governance
—Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer and Wendy Jacobson. . . . . . . . . . . .

393

Structuring Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In-depth
42. Community Weaving
—Cheryl Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

399

400

43. Participative Design Workshop
—Merrelyn Emery and Tom Devane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

419

Thumbnails
44. Collaborative Work Systems Design
—Jeremy Tekell, Jon Turner, Cheryl Harris, Michael Beyerlein, and
Sarah Bodner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

436

45. The Whole Systems Approach: Using the Entire System to Change
and Run the Business
—William A. Adams and Cynthia A. Adams . . . . . . . . . . . . .

441

Improving Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In-depth
46. Rapid Results
—Patrice Murphy, Celia Kirwan, and Ronald Ashkenas . . . . . . . . .

449

450

47. The Six Sigma Approach to Improvement and Organizational Change
—Ronald D. Snee, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

465

Thumbnails
48. Action Learning
—Marcia Hyatt, Ginny Belden-Charles, and Mary Stacey . . . . . . . .

479

49. Action Review Cycle and the After Action Review Meeting
—Charles Parry, Mark Pires, and Heidi Sparkes Guber . . . . . . . . .

484

50. Balanced Scorecard
—John Antos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

490

51. Civic Engagement: Restoring Community Through Empowering
Conversations
—Margaret Casarez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

496


contents
52. The Cycle of Resolution: Conversational Competence for
Sustainable Collaboration
—Stewart Levine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

501

53. Employee Engagement Process
—Marie McCormick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

507

54. Gemeinsinn-Werkstatt: Project Framework for Community Spirit
—Wolfgang Faenderl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

513

55. Idealized Design
—Jason Magidson

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

519

56. The Practice of Empowerment: Changing Behavior and Developing
Talent in Organizations
—David Gershon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

524

57. Values Into Action
—Susan Dupre, Ray Gordezky, Helen Spector, and Christine Valenza . . . .

530

58. WorkOut
—Ron Ashkenas and Patrice Murphy

535

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Supportive Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
In-depth
59. Online Environments That Support Change
—Nancy White and Gabriel Shirley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
60. Playback Theatre
—Sarah Halley and Jonathan Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

561

61. Visual Recording and Graphic Facilitation: Helping People See
What They Mean
—Nancy Margulies and David Sibbet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

573

Thumbnails
62. The Drum Café: Building Wholeness, One Beat at a Time
—Warren Lieberman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

588

63. JazzLab: The Music of Synergy

—Brian Tate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

593

64. The Learning Map Approach
—James Haudan and Christy Contardi Stone

. . . . . . . . . . . .

598

65. Visual Explorer
—Charles J. Palus and David Magellan Horth . . . . . . . . . . . .

603

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contents
Part III: Thoughts About the Future from the Lead Authors . . . . . . . . . . .

609

66. From Chaos to Coherence: The Emergence of Inspired Organizations and
Enlightened Communities
—Peggy Holman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

610

67. High-Leverage Ideas and Actions You Can Use to Shape the Future
—Tom Devane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

620

68. Hope for the Future: Working Together for a Better World
—Steven Cady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

633

Part IV: Quick Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
Part V: References Suggested by Multiple Contributing Authors . . . . . . . . . .

707

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
About the Lead Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

711
733


Preface
Change is disturbing when it is done to us, exhilarating when it is done by us.
—Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Why We Wrote the Second Edition
In 1999, The Change Handbook provided a snapshot of a nascent field that broke barriers by

engaging a “whole system” of people from organizations and communities in creating their own
future. In the last seven years, the field has exploded. Robust, international communities of
practice grew around many approaches. The pioneers influenced each other’s practices.
Inspired by the potential, seasoned practitioners invented a wide variety of creative processes,
and people from other fields more fully embraced these ideas and integrated them into their
practices. Also, we uncovered practices of systemic engagement emerging through completely
different disciplines from strategic planning and process improvement to street theatre and
urban development.
Clearly, it was time to capture what was happening.
This second edition of The Change Handbook is a meeting of theory and best practices
from a variety of disciplines. Over the past seven years, we have noticed growing influences
among several of them:
People who use human methods such as
people who use “harder” methods such as
World Café and Dialogue who are seeking a and Six Sigma and Rapid Results who want to tap
“harder,” results-oriented edge that will coninto human energy to fuel success.
tribute to success;
People in organizations who wish to bring
some of the democratic practices of community engagement, such as Nonviolent
Communication and Charrettes into the
workplace;

people in communities who wish to bring
and the action-oriented successes of processes
that inspire employees, such as Appreciative
Inquiry and Scenario Planning, into civic
engagement.


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preface
Our research for this edition showed that organizations using methods typically thought of
as “hard” or “soft” were most successful when they incorporated aspects of what their method
was not. For example, when done well, Six Sigma is an engagement exercise as well as an application of powerful statistical tools that can vault an organization to dramatically higher levels of
performance. Dialogue, when done well, spurs people to deploy new strategies, technical tools,
and processes to achieve performance levels previously not imagined.
A remarkable convergence is under way as people who developed methods for public participation meet people working in organizational settings. They have discovered their common
commitment to broad engagement—of citizens and employees. They are just beginning to learn
what they have to offer each other.
Whether your situation, calls for “hard” or “soft” practices, organizational or community
applications, we believe you’ll find something that serves your needs.
The core purpose of the book has remained constant:
Supporting people committed to changing whole systems—organizations and communities—in making wise choices for their work and for their lives.
We also remain committed to providing a practical resource. Given that aim, we began by
connecting with our diverse audience—the managers, internal and external consultants, academics, community activists, and students who use the book. They told us:
• Interest in whole system change continues to grow
• Keep the current format
• Address four requests:
• Include more methods—bring the rigor of The Change Handbook’s standard format to
other processes
• Include more information on outcomes and measurable results
• Include more contemporary stories and examples
• Tell us about mixing and matching methods

What’s Different?
The new edition contains:
• More than Sixty Methods
Up from 18 in the first edition, this book contains 61 processes. Nineteen are highlighted with “in-depth” chapters and 42 others have “thumbnails” to whet your appetite.
Some practices are well established; others are quite new. All are approaches that we believe

further the theory and/or practice of whole system change.
Most of the in-depth chapters were chosen because they are well-established practices


preface
with sizable, international communities of practice: Appreciative Inquiry, Dialogue and
Deliberation, Open Space Technology, Technology of Participation, World Café, Future
Search, Scenario Thinking, Rapid Results, and Six Sigma. We believe that no book on
high-participation, systemwide change would be complete without the pioneering work
of Whole-Scale Change and foundational methods based in Open Systems Theory: Search
Conference and the Participative Design Workshop. While most of these approaches have
their roots in organization development, we widened our reach to include methods of
engaging people from other disciplines. Charrettes originated in the world of architecture
and urban planning and Playback Theatre has its roots in the performing arts. We’ve also
included in-depth chapters on two of the most frequently used supporting practices for
change: Online Environments and Visual Recording and Graphic Facilitation. Finally,
we’ve added a bit of spice by offering three “young” methods that we believe are exciting
contributions to the field: Collaborative Loops, a design-it-yourself practice; Community
Weaving, a highly original approach to change that started life in communities; and Integrated Clarity, an exciting application that integrates Nonviolent Communication into
work with organizations and communities.
The thumbnail chapters are brief overviews that showcase the range of applications
available. Some of the processes are longtime practices; others are new, just finding their
“legs,” but bringing something original. A few are innovative hybrids of well-established
methods that we believe contribute something original. There are creative adaptations of
“foundational” practices. For example, Scenario Planning inspired Large Group Scenario
Planning. Appreciative Inquiry is the root of SOAR and the Appreciative Inquiry Summit.
Our intent is that the thumbnails provide enough information for you to see what might fit
your situation, and visit online to learn more.
• A Guide to Selection
With more than 60 methods, we would be remiss not to provide a road map! Our contributing authors have helped us create a “Summary Matrix” of some useful characteristics

to help you find your way among the choices.
• A New Chapter on Preparing to Mix and Match Methods
We spoke with a number of seasoned practitioners about how they approach their
work. Combined with our own knowledge, we offer you some insights into this emerging
discipline.
• A New Chapter on Outcomes, Sustainability and Measurement
We’ve woven thoughts from our contributing authors with our own experiences to
reflect on this important but challenging and elusive subject.
• Completely Revised Chapters Speculating about the Future
As practitioners gain experience and influence each other, how do the practices evolve?
These processes introduce increasingly democratic practices into organizations. They pro-

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preface
vide new highly interactive models of community engagement influencing what it means
to be a citizen. How are they changing the way humans organize themselves? We offer three
views on the future of the field and what this field means to our future.
We were stunned as we realized how much this field of whole system change has matured in
the last seven years! We believe the breadth and depth of the new material is a testimony to the
inherent potential in engaging collectives in cocreating their future.

What Is the Book About?
This book is about effective change. It describes methods for changing “whole systems,” that is,
change based on two powerful foundation assumptions: high involvement and a systemic
approach to improvement. High involvement means engaging the people in changing their own
system. It is systemic because there is a conscious choice to include the people, functions, and ideas

that can affect or be affected by the work. Whole system change methods help you initiate highleverage, sustainable improvements in organizations or communities. “High-leverage” is emphasized because in any improvement effort, we want the highest possible value for the effort invested.
We believe that involving people in a systematic way is a key to high leverage and that the methods
in this book can provide this leverage for you. You’ll need to determine the one(s) best suited to
moving your organization or community to the culture you want. We wrote this book to support
your efforts.
The book is intended to answer questions such as:
• What methods are available that have proven successful in addressing today’s needs for
organizational or community change?
• What are the key distinctions among these methods?
• How do I know if a method would be a good fit for my organization or community?
• How do I get started after I select one or more methods?
To make a good choice, you’ll need some basic information. Rather than provide details of
how to do each method, we give you an overview of what’s available and some tools to help focus
your exploration. If you’d like more in-depth information, we’ve provided convenient references
and a Web site—www.thechangehandbook.com—for learning more.

Intended Audience
This book is for anyone who needs a change that involves people. In particular, we intend it for
lifelong students of effective, sustainable change. It is a guide that is useful to readers irrespective
of their current functional discipline, community or organizational position, age, country of origin, or educational background. The principles and approaches covered have wide applicability
around the world in organizational and community settings for a variety of human conditions. If
you are interested in change that involves people, you’ll likely find some of the methods and prin-


preface

xv

ciples in this book extremely useful. For example, these practices are for anyone who wants
people in organizations or communities to:

• Commit to a shared vision of the future
• Operate from the “big picture”
• Make change happen
• Seek responsibility and take initiative
• Use their creative powers to their fullest potential.
This book is written for people in organizations and communities who are seeking dramatic, sustainable change. It supports people focused on achieving better results, higher quality
of life, improved relationships, and increased capacity for succeeding in turbulent times. It is

Among the audience are . . .

Who are . . .

Middle managers and project managers

Searching for proven methods to accomplish the
daunting task of successful, sustainable change

Community leaders and activists

Seeking effective approaches to sustainable development and citizen involvement

Senior managers

Meeting an overall responsibility for significant organizational performance

Internal organization development consultants

Seeking proven methods for systemic, large-scale
change

Internal Total Quality consultants

Searching for meaningful, reliable ways to involve the
organization in continuous improvement

Internal business reengineering groups

Enhancing process redesign efforts with ‘‘the people
side of change’’ to increase individual motivation,
commitment, and performance

Project leaders of large information systems projects

Seeking ways to make the new technology more effective and the people more productive by engaging
them in the change process

Process owners for reengineered processes

Seeking methods to enhance process performance

External consultants

Assisting clients with high-leverage methods that dramatically improve organizational performance and
community development efforts

Students of change

Learning the range of possibilities for making a difference in organizations and communities
Table 1. Examples of the Intended Audience

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preface
intended for leaders who want to create workplaces and communities that foster high commitment through participation.
We know that interest in high-participation change is growing, with a diverse audience, as
shown in table 1.

Finding and Including Today’s Best Methods
We sent out a call for proposals, attracting over 100 methods for our review. We used ten criteria
for inclusion. The first eight came from our review of successful, sustained change efforts. Each
selected method:
• Involves people in a meaningful way, improving individual and collective awareness and
connectedness,
• Enables people to discover and create shared assumptions about their work processes and
ways of working together; fostering the emergence of collective thought and action,
• Has been practiced for at least five years to establish a track record,
• Is a systemic approach to change,
• Achieves dramatic and lasting results with a moderate amount of people’s time and other
resources,
• Provides support from multiple sources (e.g., books, articles, Web sites, practitioner networks, user conferences, user groups/communities, training programs and materials, etc.),
• Has been applied in a variety of environments, cultures, and industries, and
• Is grounded in solid theory, and makes strong theoretical and practical contributions to the
field of change.
In addition, when considered in totality, the collection of methods:
• Approaches change from a variety of disciplines (e.g., systems thinking/dynamics, quality
improvement, organization development, creativity), and
• Reflects international and gender diversity.
While many methods are rooted in organization development, others bring rich traditions
from community development, total quality, social science, system dynamics, public participation,

the wisdom of indigenous cultures and studies of intelligence, creativity, and the arts. Practitioners
from these different disciplines independently embodied the eight criteria in their approaches. The
implications for changing organizations and communities are profound, as these practices from
different fields have influenced each other and contributed to a rich and growing practice field.
Numerous methods met our criteria. To make the hard choices among them, two factors
played a major role: Was there a vibrant community of practice growing around the approach?
Was there an underlying generosity of spirit, a willingness to share?


preface
We felt that a multifaceted support base—books, Web sites, formal or informal practitioner associations, training as well as consulting practices—indicated generous access to critical
knowledge and support. In a few cases, though proprietary, if we felt the work contributed
something important to the theory and practice of the field and there were at least some tools
for self-study, we included it. We also included a handful of processes with less than five years of
history because of their promise. There were many hard calls! We hope these selections serve
you well.

How to Use This Book
This book is designed for quick and easy access to information. It is a tool—a hands-on reference
guide that answers questions about high-leverage change. We encourage you to skip around in
the book—orient yourself to whole system change through reading the opening chapters, look at
the quick summaries (one page for each method), browse through the references that follow each
chapter, or simply read about the methods that interest you most. The book is organized into five
parts.
Part I: Navigating Through the Methods
This section provides a framework for selecting and working with change methods. The
first chapter is a “big picture,” offering a taxonomy for thinking about the methods. It contains a
“Summary Matrix” that is an overview of some characteristics helpful in making choices among
the methods. Chapter 2 guides you through what to consider when choosing among processes
and selecting a consultant. Chapter 3 contains insights into preparing to mix and match methods.

The fourth chapter reflects on outcomes, sustainability, and measurement.
Part II: The Methods
The methods are arranged into five subsections by their basic purpose—adaptable, planning, structuring, improving, and supportive. Within their section, the processes are organized
alphabetically in two groups—in-depth descriptions and thumbnails. We offer some questions to
consider when determining how each method might work for your organization or community.
Every chapter contains:
A Story of Its Use
• Could we envision this scenario unfolding in our environment?
• What would make it happen?
The Basics: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• Would the outcomes described be useful to us?
• How would using this method benefit us? Can we articulate a clear case?

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preface
Table of Uses
• How would we describe our situation?
• What can we learn from the situations described here—even ones that are different from
our own?
About the Author(s)
• How do we think the authors’ backgrounds might have influenced their work?
• What does that tell us that might be useful for our situation?
Where to Go for More Information
• How might these resources (books, organizations, Web sites, etc.) help us?
• How can we learn more about this process—by ourselves or with others?
The in-depth chapters also contain information on:

Getting Started
• How can we apply the author’s advice for starting in our environment?
• Do the guiding principles make sense for what we are trying to accomplish?
Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships
• Are the sponsors ready to assume their responsibilities?
• Do we have skilled facilitators available? Where might we find them, and how much would
they cost?
• How effective are outside facilitators in our culture?
Conditions for Success
• Are the conditions for success present in our environment?
• If not, how might they be created? Is it worth the effort?
Theory Base
• How does the theory fit our culture?
• Could we explain whatever is needed to proceed?
Sustaining the Results
• How successful is our culture in sustaining change? What would improve the odds?
• What sort of leadership and associated leadership development are required to sustain the
results?


preface
Burning Questions
• What are our burning questions?
• What do our burning questions tell us about ourselves?
• What questions can we ask that will make an even bigger difference?
Some Closing Reflections
• Let’s step back and think about what we’ve read. What’s our reaction to it?
• If several methods seem like they fit, what criteria would help us choose?
While the contributors may use different words to describe these sections, you’ll know where you

are by looking at their accompanying icons (above).
Part III: Thoughts About the Future from the Lead Authors
We’ve gained a lot of insight over the last seven years from our own work and from spending time with the pioneers. We offer you some speculations about the future.
Part IV: Quick Summaries
We designed a reference tool that provides a snapshot of each method, answering frequently asked questions including: an image of the process, purpose, outcomes, a brief example,
when to use, when not to use, number and types of participants, typical duration, and historical
context of the work. We’ve also provided a link to more information. There’s a page for each
method, in alphabetical order.
Part V: References Suggested by Multiple Contributing Authors
Although each method chapter has a section on where to go for more information, we
thought you would be interested in knowing which references were identified as valuable by multiple contributors. They are gathered together in this section. In addition, check out
www.thechangehandbook.com to learn more about methods, selection, and to join a community
of practice for all who do whole system change work.
www.thechangehandbook.com
It is inevitable in a nascent and growing field that the moment a selection is made, something with significant potential emerges. As this book entered its final stages of editing, a powerful process with a growing community of practice came to our awareness: the “U” Theory,
developed by Otto Scharmer. While it was too late to add a chapter, it became a perfect case for
establishing the means for continuing to highlight the best work emerging in the field. We invite
you to visit www.thechangehandbook.com to see a chapter on the “U” Theory. We expect as time
passes that other promising practices will also make their way onto the site.

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xx

preface

About the Contributors
The 95 contributing authors have helped businesses, governments, nonprofits, communities, and
associations around the world achieve their goals. They have joined us in creating a rich collection of writings on whole system change. Their biographies appear in their respective chapters.

Peggy Holman, Tom Devane, and Steven Cady are practitioners of several of these change
methods. They bring in-the-trenches experience and consulting advice to some of America’s
best-known companies and communities. Peggy conceived the book’s design and kept the practitioner in mind throughout its development. Tom contributed a strong theory base and senior
management perspective from his years in industry and consulting. Steve Cady, new to this edition, brought his scholar practitioner perspective to the mix.
Our hope is that the pages of this book will be dog-eared because it is so easy to use and
answers your most important questions on change! We hope it speeds you on your way to creating the organizations and communities in which you really want to work and live.
Peggy Holman,
Tom Devane,
and Steven Cady
January 2007


Acknowledgements

We are immensely grateful to all the contributing authors. We thank them for their contributions, their numerous insights on change, their flexibility, and their thoughtful revisions that
helped make this book an easy-to-read reference guide.
We are indebted to Christine Valenza for the wonderful images she created for many chapters. An incredible graphic facilitator and coauthor of the Values Into Action chapter, she generously gave her time to contributing authors to bring their processes visually to life. The book is
far more attractive because of her work. We are also grateful to Nancy Margulies, coauthor of the
chapter on Visual Recording and Graphic Facilitation, for providing additional graphic images.
We thank Jackie Stravos. If she hadn’t asked, “What do you think about doing a new edition?” this project never would have begun.
Our thanks to Michael M. Pannwitz, who opened the door to the creative change work
happening in the German-speaking world.
We thank the graduate students who interviewed seasoned practitioners on our behalf:
Patti Coutin, Michael Hotchkiss, Amanie Kariyawasam, Amber M. Linn, Judy Marriott, Sue Ellen
McComas, Kelly L. Niksa, Andrew Sauber, and Seneca Vaught. We thank the practitioners who
gave their thoughts to us: Michael Arena, Tom Atlee, Lisa Beutler, Lyn Carson, Chris Corrigan,
Susan Dupre, Rick Lent, and Christine Whitney Sanchez.
We owe a big thanks to the reviewers for their excellent suggestions that greatly improved
the manuscript: Ela Aktay Booty, Larry Dressler, Jeff Kulick, and Leigh Wilkinson.
We thank Steve Piersanti for his conviction that this book contributes to people in communities and organizations who want to make their world a better place. To Jeevan Sivasubra-

xxii

acknowledgements
manian, who made our lives better with his remarkable ability to always be there with just the
answer we needed when we needed it, we are immensely grateful. We are deeply indebted to all of
the people “behind the scenes” at Berrett-Koehler who edited, designed, and produced this book.
The entire field of whole system change is greatly indebted to the early work of Fred Emery,
Kurt Lewin, Larry Lippitt, and Eric Trist. Most of the truly high-leverage principles in this book’s
methods gain their power from the action research of their early observations, experiments, and
theory building. We are fortunate to have original contributions in this book from Merrelyn
Emery, who has made additional valuable contributions to the field after working with Fred
Emery for so many years.
We wish to acknowledge Kathie Dannemiller, whose passing leaves this field of change
without one of its most original and courageous pioneers. Without her gumption to give it a go,
who would have guessed anything useful could happen with hundreds of people in a room?
We also want to acknowledge Billie Alban and Barbara Bunker for their groundbreaking
work, which first made this work—in which the people of the system participate in creating their
future—visible.
Coediting a book is a lot like marriage—if everything is always smooth, one of you is
redundant. We want to acknowledge each other—we believe the different perspectives we
brought to the book coupled with our commitment to making it work by sorting out our differences have provided a better offering.
From Steven Cady
I would like to acknowledge five groups that are very important to this book. First and foremost are my Bowling Green State University colleagues and my clients. Students, faculty, and staff
have played an important role in my work in this area and particularly with the concepts in this
book. I’d like to thank Kelly Ashbacher for her help in the beginning phase of preparing the manuscript. As for all the students, there are too many to name here. I have learned so much from
wrestling with and exploring ideas with them. In addition, many of the ideas for this book have
come from my field experience and research with such organizations as DaimlerChrysler, the
Toledo Diocese, and more.

Second, my close mentors have encouraged me and provided me with the foundation necessary to do this work. I can’t say enough about people like Jimmie Ferrell, Kathie Dannemiller,
Marguerite Foxon, Patricia Fandt, and Rasesh Thakkar.
Third, my family always asks how things are with the book, and when I am too busy to
call . . . they call me: the Bellomys, Bonds, Browns, Cadys, MacDonells, Odins, Thakkars, and
Smiths.
Fourth, my best friends in Orlando have been my advocates and cheerleaders, and that too
goes for my friends and brothers in Ohio.
Finally, thank you Peggy and Tom . . . I am so glad you invited me to join you on the
journey.


acknowledgements
From Tom Devane
I am indebted to the many people in my professional and personal networks who enabled
me to make some valuable contributions to this book as an author and coeditor. I thank Helena
Dolny of the Land Bank of South Africa for inviting me to help in the postapartheid transformation of the part-government, part-financial institution that she headed. This project had a profound impact on my consulting practice and it helped shape, and reshape, many ideas I had
about successful large-scale, sustainable change.
I’m fortunate enough to have some great business colleagues who are also personal friends,
and I thank Robert Rehm, Nancy Cebula, Gary Frank, Dennis Mayhew, and Tony Singarayar for
long hours of collegial work and nonwork time spent observing organizational behavior and
building successful theories and approaches for improving organizations and communities.
I also thank Merrelyn Emery for her extensive research and collaboration with me on this
and other publications. I thank Larry Kinney of AT&T for his advice and inviting me in to help
with AT&T’s postdivestiture conversion from a monopolistic to entrepreneurial mind-set.
My special thanks go out to my wife, Susan Conway Devane, and my kids, Krista and Kiernan, who exhibited extreme patience and support during the long writing and editing hours
spent on weekends and holidays.
From Peggy Holman
There are so many thanks at so many levels! To Anne Stadler and Harrison Owen for being
great companions in this journey through the amazing world of change. To Mark Jones, my fellow traveler and frequent partner in crime. To Kenoli Oleari for his complex and challenging suggestions on the Mix and Match chapter. To Tree Fitzpatrick for her friendship, insight, writing
suggestions, and support. To Tom Atlee, for his many direct and indirect contributions to my

thinking and writing.
And to my husband, Neil Holman, who not only provided invaluable advice, but who
wholeheartedly dove into the production of an unbelievably complex manuscript to help us out
as the deadline loomed. On top of that, he managed to live with me during the process—he has
my love and enduring thanks.

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