Books

Over the years I have been the co-author of several books. However, in 2013 I decided to write my own book based on the 2012 edition of “The World’s Brightest Advent Calendar”. I think that most books with many pages would have been even better if they were shorter. That’s why my book “Change!” is deliberately short and to the point, but I have tried my very best to ensure that the readers go from reading the book to actually making changes based on the book.

Change!

Unfortunately, many managers who work excessively to make changes simply don’t understand that change is a means to an end. Not an end in itself. Such misguided attempts at steely determination often leads to change efforts that are neither well thought out nor accepted and implemented by the staff. No wonder, then, that many employees are hesitant – maybe even openly negative – when they hear the word “change”. But that’s a shame, because in our day and age change is necessary because a number of megatrends have a major impact on all of us:

• Asia is becoming increasingly important for the world economy – particularly China and India
• Technological developments spread like wildfire – breaking down barriers in the process
• Global communication is easy, fast, and inexpensive – the Internet leaves no room for “secrets”

These megatrends are inescapable. The mere fact that everyone has access to the same information and the same standard components makes it increasingly hard to remain ahead in the market – or even to keep one’s footing. Products are becoming increasingly alike, and less and less time elapses before your competitors have a product that is very like, or even better than, the one you just launched. This “democratization”, as I call it, means that we all really need to change, as people and as companies, if we want to stay successful.

To me there is no doubt: This “democratization” leads to constant and ever faster changes in our surroundings. And the faster your surroundings change, the faster you need to change as well. Consequently, companies would be well advised to accept the following simple – yet for many fundamentally different – way of thinking:

The battle for market shares – and, ultimately, survival – is not won by the biggest companies, but by the fastest movers.

I know that some won’t agree with me on this, but I myself have no doubts whatsoever. Tomorrow’s winners are not necessarily those who have a mindset of growing big, but rather a mindset of moving fast. And you can’t move fast without changing.

Are you good at moving fast? Is your boss? Is your company? Read my book and be inspired. The price is 399 DKK (69 USD/54 EUR) plus shipping costs. Order it by sending a mail to change@lindberg-international.com

Download the results of survey on obstacles to change

Before I wrote the book Change! I wanted to get an indication of how the readers of the 2012 edition of The World’s Brightest Advent Calendar experience challenges associated with change. In order to do so I encouraged the readers to fill in an on-line questionnaire that asked one question for each chapter of this book – and here are the results.

New book

I have received so much positive feedback on my first book Change! that I have started to write another one. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I can say so much that it is going to be very different than Change! Stay tuned for mere.