Change. It's brutally tough to initiate, even harder to sustain. It takes too long. People resist it. But without it, organizations lose their competitive edge. Fortunately, you can succeed at making change. In "Fearless Change", Mary Lynn Manns and Linda Rising illuminate 48 proven techniques, or patterns, for implementing change in organizations or teams of all sizes, and show you exactly how to use them successfully. Find out how to: understand the forces in your organization that drive and retard change; plant the seeds of change; drive participation and buy-in, from start to finish; choose an "official skeptic" to sharpen your thinking; make your changes appear less threatening; find the right timing and the best teaching moments; sustain your momentum; overcome adversity and celebrate success. Inspired by the "pattern languages" that are transforming fields from software to architecture, the authors illuminate patterns for every stage of the change process: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. These flexible patterns draw on the experiences of hundreds of leaders. They offer powerful insight into change-agent behavior, organizational culture, and the roles of every participant. Best of all, they're easy to use-and they work!

Part 1. Overview: Organizations and change -- Strategies or patterns -- Where do I start? -- What do I do next? -- Meetings and more -- Take action! -- It's all about people -- A new role: now you're dedicated! -- Convince the masses -- More influence strategies -- Keep it going -- Dealing with resistance / Part 2. Experiences: Multiple Sclerosis Society experience report -- UNCA experience report -- Sun Core J2EE Patterns experience report -- Customer training experience report / Part 3: The patterns: Ask for help -- Big jolt -- Bridge-builder -- Brown bag -- Champion skeptic -- Connector -- Corporate angel -- Corridor politics -- Dedicated champion -- Do food -- E-forum -- Early adopter -- Early majority -- Evangelist -- External validation -- Fear less -- Group identity -- Guru on your side -- Guru review -- Hometown story -- In your space -- Innovator -- Involve everyone -- Just do it -- Just enough -- Just say thanks -- Local sponsor -- Location, location, location -- Mentor -- Next steps -- Personal touch -- Piggyback -- Plant the seeds -- The right time -- Royal audience -- Shoulder to cry on -- Small successes -- Smell of success -- Stay in touch -- Step by step -- Study group -- Sustained momentum -- Tailor made -- Test the waters -- Time for reflection -- Token -- Trial run -- Whisper in the general's ear -- External pattern references.