part 3

Developing strategies for change

Part 3 of the book puts the discussion of internal capabilities in Part 2 into context. Identifying and building these capabilities is necessary but insufficient. We also need to relate them to the outside world, which can be predictable and stable, or turbulent and unrelenting. Each combination of internal capabilities can be matched to the external conditions. Four generic strategies can help managers increase their rate of successful change based on their changeability ratings.

• Zone one is the steady state.
• Zone two is the risk zone.
• Zone three is the comfort zone.
• Zone four is the Zen zone.

Together, these four outcomes or zones of change imply different strategies for change.¹ And they provide managers with some choices.

The following chapters explain each zone and their features so that you can recognise them easily. They offer business cases of how companies have thrived, survived and died, based on our research and consulting engagements. Each chapter concludes with tips and hints on what managers can do.

Overall summary of strategic choices²

¹ A number of cases in Part 3 arise directly from our research. Thus, company identities have had to be disguised to maintain anonymity.

² See also Appendix 5.