Book Report: Immunity to Change

 By Julie Hein

First of all, note that this a Harvard Business Press book.  They don’t usually publish books that we’re all captivated by.  Oprah will never pick one of theirs as her favorite.  They’re usually text-booky and high-brow. Even as a non-fiction/business book geek, I found this to be like eating my vegetables.  Good for me, but had to focus to get through it.

Immunity to Change, How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization, written by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey.  The basic premise is that an immune system is a great thing – it blocks out and deals with many toxins, bacteria and viruses that we encounter and stops them before they wreak havoc in our bodies.  But at the same time, that can block out things that we need as our bodies and the environment around us changes.  Immune systems are usually static, but what would be better is to have one that adapted and learned as new threats and opportunities arise.

The book goes through a process of mapping out your strengths and corresponding weaknesses (usually they’re related).  And then how to overcome the weaknesses.  One of the most interesting points is this:  what do you really want and what will you do to PREVENT yourself from getting it?  Then they have you do exercises to figure out why you sabotage yourself and make commitments on how to change that. 

We all say we’re committed to X – saving more money, eating better, exercising more, taking the business to the next level of success and profitability.  And then we sabotage ourselves to ensure that doesn’t ever happen.  Figuring out if there is a reason why we’re doing that, and then eliminating it is the key to making change happen.

Interesting stuff.  Just not something I’d read straight through on a plane.  It’s better eaten in small bites.