In the end the most striking
thing about this book is the diary method and the author's willingness to
let the reader in to his stream of reflection and inquiry about the work of
an organisation change consultant. Tony Page takes to heart Gandhi's wisdom:
you have to be the change you want to see in the world. A book to treasure
and give to friends.
______
Andrew Curl, Director and Vice President
Strategic Operations, Europe, SmithKline Beecham.
The book is for anyone in mid career, like you and me,
having to make choices in the face of conflicting demands, perhaps with some
feelings of guilt towards one's family, trying to balance everything. Once
you relate to Tony Page you're hooked. You can dip in and out. It is written
in an endearing style. It would appeal very strongly to people in our age
group (40s) but not at all to people in their 20s.
_____
Grant Hearn, Managing Director, Whitbread
Travel Inns.
I was surprised, it is very personal.
It is certainly relevant to consultants, management developers and trainers.
But with this strong personal theme it would be interesting to others who
work in organisations, all kinds of managers and certainly psychiatrists!
The packaging and layout, with the diagrams makes it accessible, an easy read
that could be popular on a wider scale.
_____
Tom Kaney, Vice President & Director,
Human Resources - North America, SmithKline Beecham.
The book is unique both in content and format...and extremely
user friendly. It is a very different but powerful book for anyone who is
serious about being a conduit or facilitator for change.
_____
Gareth Rees, Chief Executive,
Towers Perrin.
It is the book I wish
I had written....will help anyone seeking to learn and grow, particularly
managers, leaders, consultants and other influencers of change.
_____
Anthony Aitken, Consultant.
I'm a beginner in consulting and I found your
book very valuable. I've recommended it to several others.
_____
JB, Training & Development Consultant, BBC.
I was gripped. I related to what you were saying,
seeing parallels with my own journey. I admired your ability to express it
so clearly. The book is a brutally honest account of a consultant's learning
presented with exercises to engage the reader in understanding their own learning
journey.
_____
Fiona Coffey, independent consultant, formerly with Price Waterhouse
...the book is WONDERFUL!!..both compelling and
inspiring. It demonstrates conclusively that consulting can and should be
more than manuals, methodologies and management nostrums. The diary shows
the creation of enduring client value is critically dependent on our a bility
to take risks, develop ourselves and achieve balance in our professional and
personal lives. As such it challenges us all to set higher goals for our work
with clients, whilst providing a practical path towards a more satisfying
and rewarding career.
_____
Barry Curnow, President of the Institute of Management Consultants
...courageous ...timely....absorbing...will challenge
every consultant and client.
_____
Jill Fairbairns, Consultant
....reading your diaries I have been lifted up
and then cast down - thinking the diaries are really inspiring and then wondering
whether I really want this sort of inspiration. Also I've been reading Harvard
Business Review too and your integration of change theory beats everything
in it. Superb and maybe helping me to decide what I want.
_____
John Flouch, consultant in career management.
A must for all managers interested in employability.
It positively demonstrates the diary method of self-development.
_____
Mark Goyder, Director, Centre for Tomorrow's Company.
The book shows you that change programmes imposed top down just cannot
work. People will enjoy reading about the stressed out executives you are
describing. It is written first and foremost for other consultants. But it
will also be read by many other people in companies who are not called consultants
but do something similar. Then there are people who are clients to consultants,
the people who teach consutlants, the people in those government departments
who are having consultancy imposed onto them, It is very well written and
the format is good too.
_____
Sheena Gray, Change Manager, Bank of England.
I really enjoyed your book which has a special
relevance for me in my new role.
_____
Vic & Sue Hall, Managing the Dynamics of Change.
I'm stunned. We recognise and relate to so much of what you are saying.
I feel I've been there. But you had the courage to write it down. It makes
us feel there's someone following a parallel track. I'm amazed at the feelings
and remembrances I got as I read it. I'm also struck by the issues of morality
and ethics, over money and the concerns about satisfying the client.
_____
Rosemary Harris-Loxley, Harris Consultancy.
I can immediately empathise with so much of
it. Thank you for a breath of fresh air
_____
Vincent Hill, Psychotherapist and Coach.
Your journey has led you to many truths and much
of what you wrote is very satisfying to read as there are many similarities
that I find on my own path.... One of the most powerful things that we work
with in psychosynthesis is for clients to write a journal, a psychological
diary, allowing insights, patterns to be seen but also to distil and make
concrete the thoughts and abstractions that we have. In my experience with
clients in coaching, it is those who maintain their diary that appear to have
a much stronger sense of Self/self as well as increased awareness and intention.
I have written a diary throughout my life - dipping in and out - when I began
working with psychosynthesis some 8 years ago I began this more completely
and find it one of the most powerful tools available.
_____
Ron Hyams, Executive Coach, Alexander Corp.
Your book has inspired me - I've started journalling
myself!
_____
Geoffrey Kitt, Minerva Management Consulting,
formerly partner at Touche Ross.
I enjoyed reading it enormously. It is quite unlike anything
I had read before and if you'll pardon the cliche, I just couldn't put it
down. An overlay of humanity is added to subjects which have hitherto received
only two dimensional treatment. Consultants will be c hallenged and inspired
to search for the real contribution which they make to their client relationships.
But it isn't just a book for consultants about consultancy. If you are involved
in change then you need to read it.
_____
KM, Independent Consultant.
Your book has been a worthwhile investment. It seems
to have had quite a radical effect on how I approach my work. It
is insightful. I'm recommending it to managers and consultants alike. There
are so many people now who are considering their careers differently, wanting
to grow beyond their organisations, to know there is life outside.
_____
John O'Brien, Head of Senior Executive Mentoring, Coutts Career
Consultants.
In this highly readable book, Tony has described
his personal journey as a consultant in pursuit of auth enticity and integrity,
and for the creation of value in all its forms for his clients. The book is
inspirational.... it achieves a simple exposition of profound and complex
change management issues, and I recommend it both to my professional colleagues
and to ...clients
_____
Yvana Reeves, Consultant.
Your book is a real affirmation of the journey
of being a consultant, the days you wake up feeling great and the days when
you don't.
_____
Gary Richards, Consultant, Royal Mail Consulting.
It is certainly relevant to the 400 consultants in RM Consulting. It
is also relevant to the much wider audience of change managers.
_____
Vyla Rollins, Head of Organisation Consulting, KPMG Career Consulting.
Once I got my hands on it, I just couldn't put
it down. It is for any professional involved in organisations going through
transformation and change, not only consultants. It gives you a framework
to think about yourself. It shows you life isn't perfect, that learning isn't
only academic but experiential. A pivotal and important book.
_____
Raymond Ruddock-West, Chairman, The Richmond Group of Consultants
...all consultants should read it whatever their
specialisms. Highly recognisable detail...strong stuff, but read it all...full
of insights and must have taken a lot of courage to write.
_____
PT, Transformation Practice, Coopers &
Lybrand.
Your book is going down a storm
here. People thought it looked a little odd at first but now we're really
into it.
_____
Jenny Stephany, Consultant.
I've almost completed my third reading of it!
_____
DW, Business Transformation Consultant,
Shell Oil Company, USA.
I found the book fascinating
and enlightening. Even though I work as a "change agent" in a corporate
environment, I found myself identifying with your struggles and I could identify
many of the milestones you described on your journey.
_____
Dianne Watts, Consultant, Enabling Change Practice, Unisys Asia
Pacific.
I feel your book delivers major benefits to
the reader in terms of understanding how to review, understand and grow from
your work/life experiences.
_____
Peter Critten, Lecturer, Middlesex University.
I empathised very much with your approach. I
found the chapter on transformation very illuminating. One of our students
is particularly interested in the concept of generative conversations. What
came across was the value of emergent theory. I also loved the diagrams!
_____
Lennie Egboma, Lecturer, Civil Service College.
Really enjoyed it. Very well written. Read it
almost at one sitting. Last book I did that with was the Celestine Prophecy.
_____
Sumantra Ghoshal, Prof of Strategic Leadership, London Business
School
...I find the style of presentation is refreshingly
different...
_____
Michael Jarrett, Consulting to Organisation Change Programme,
Cranfield University, School of Management.
A challenging, provoking and very human perspective
on what being a reflective practitioner means in reality on a day to day basis.
....sometimes painfully resonant with many of us who take up the role of consultant,
change agent or manager.
_____
Peter Kidger, Management School, University of Salford.
The diary provides an interesting insight into the consultancy role.
_____
David Megginson, Fellow, Sheffield Business
School.
The best book I read in 1996!
_____
Dr Philip Sadler, CBE, former Chief Executive, Ashridge Management
College
.... absorbing reading ..... it will be very
useful to people entering the consulting field
_____
Wyvern Business Library.
Reveals how to create your own powerful development
tool. This book is revolutionary. It is unput-downable. Time and again you
will recognise yourself or your position in this book.
_____
Management Consultancy Magazine.
Full of exciting approaches for both consultant
and client. All in all it is a life training book...
_____
Management Skills and Development Magazine.
Should be read by all consultants and clients
who are willing to embrace and value change within themselves.
_____
People Management.
Page's reflections will be like gold dust for
self-employed consultants...or trainers...and a stimulating read for facilitators.
_____
Strategy.
You gain insight into how personal and organisational
development come together, grow and feed from one another.
