Seven secrets of transformation

Abstract

Purpose

To offer seven guides to institutional change.

Design/methodology/approach

The Director of the Office of Force Transformation draws on his experience in transforming the US military to offer seven guides to institutional change.

Findings

The seven guides are as follows: some major changes are inevitable and should be noted as such; having a good forecast ahead of others is of little use if they are not ready to acknowledge it; future trends must rely on data‐free research to some extent; it is possible to use the media for your purposes by focusing on pivotal ideas they like to promulgate; to change institutions requires changing their culture, which in turn requires changing carefully selected values and symbols; transformation demands not only creative imagination but the hard work of implementation; and look for those crucial tipping points when achieving a critical mass can swing dramatic changes quickly.

Originality/value

Offers an experience‐based insight into the world of organizational transformation.

Citation

Cebrowski, A.K. (2005), "Seven secrets of transformation", On the Horizon, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 31-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120510601644