RE-CODE YOUR CHANGE DNA: THE RHENALD KASALI’S VIEWS ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

There is nothing permanent except change” (Greek Philosopher Heraclitus, 500
B.C.). In today’s truly global economy and global climate change, all organizations find
themselves part of the era of dynamics change—change is the only constant in today’s
technology-driven world. Change can be an opportunity as well as danger:” Rapid
change means rapid obsolescence of one’s skills and competencies, unless champion
efforts are made to update and maintain them through change management.” The purpose
of change management (champions of change) is to help leaders learn how to change not
only an organization’s strategy, structure, and operations; but also the perceptions,
expectations, the thinking and behavior, and performance of people (elite and grass-root
society)—and to change all these elements in ways that keep them focused and consistent
(Nadler, 1998). Today’s organization leaders attest to its success through re-code their
change DNA. Immensely valuable to managers at all levels, Rhenald Kasali, provides the
practical advice and real-life examples that can help people become effective leaders of
organizational change or reformation (solution-based leadership) through his book “Re-
Code Your Change DNA.
DNA, the useful acronym for Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid, is the “code” used within cells
to form proteins. It is a living organism’s basic building block; such as, it controls
biological destiny. Key to an organization’s operating destiny is its organizational DNA—
the structural, management, and operating protocols that exist within the organizations
(both public and business). For most utilities, their DNA developed over several decades
in a predictable regulatory environment, with low turnover of key leaders and a
continuing pattern of promotion from within. In recent years, market dynamics caused and
influx of new management talent into the industry, bringing new thinking, behaviors, and
values. Recoding an organization’s change DNA to adapt to a differently defined and
structured market can increase institutional agility, accelerate readiness for external
change (adaptability), and enable sustained the alignment of financial leadership (Spiegel
et al., 2005). Kasali describes together the conceptual or theory and the contextual or
reality and practice—whether the challenge is renewal of fundamental change or
reformation, his book delivers real life depictions that will help those who invest the time
to change successfully. Kasali’s descriptions of the practices re-code your change DNA is
not without its minor flaws. He seems to have trouble in measuring the key performance
indicators more generalizability and rigorous after recoding our change DNA (how to
measure the thinking and behavior changes’ indicator), leaving the reader a bit confused.
But there is more to praise than criticize in this excellent book. All in all, Re-Code Your
Change DNA is a solid description of the organizational change management, its benefits,
and how it can be effectively deployed. The author knows the subject matter and
communicates it effectively and well. Readers will have to attune to the author’s views on
the organizational change management while reading this book