It Happens!: How to Become Change-Resilient [With Change Puzzle]

With relentless and sudden "change" now being a way of life, this book is for everyone...for what we confront both in our jobs and in our lives outside of work (for those who have life outside of work). I'm not keen on cute stories as a way to learn, especially in the work world, but this "cute story" hits the mark. Not only are the characters engaging and an entertaining means of learning how to be change-resilient,but the author periodically includes good assessments and tools/processes for learning how to be change resiient (including an interesting three dimensional puzzle to pull it all together!). And, for those of us who don't want to be caught reading a story about two squirrels, a bear and two humans (all playing important roles in the learning process) the author conveniently revisits and consolidates all the change tools in the final third of the book. An easy but very productive read that I accomplished while flying from the East coast to the Midwest.

A small but mighty little book, "It" will leave you changed after just one read. Julie Smith has interwoven a delightful story with easy-to-remember characters, cleverly conveying the essential concepts of cognitive behavior theory. As a seasoned clinical psychologist, I am all too aware that just talking about change isn't enough. "It" combines story, allegorical characters, cognitive rehearsal, a fun manipulable puzzle, and visual cues. Wow--she used just about every modality to infuse this book with high interest and a lasting memory/imagination imprint. How many books do that? This is obviously a powerful tool for use in organizations of all kinds, as well as in therapeutic work, to facilitate attitude and behavior change in an engaging manner, minimizing defensiveness. The "Change Puzzle" will remain on my desk. Thanks, Julie!

At first glance, this book seemed almost too simple to take seriously - - but then I began using its concepts and they were so effective that I decided to read the book again. The message in this book is profound, and I believe that Dr. Smith's concepts for handling change are the most effective concepts I've ever used. If you're struggling with how to truly handle change -- try the concepts in this book! They really do work.

A must have guide on how to deal with change. This book is really a wonderful tool for dealing with change in every part of our lives. It has great application for any business that must deal with a significant shift in the status quo (e.g. acquisitions or down sizing). It provides a framework for leaders to understand what employees are experiencing in times of change and how they might be able to coach them through it. It is the type of reference guide you will want to keep in your briefcase.

Finally . . . a practical and fun way to deal with change. Change can cause stress - and stress kills. We can't escape it . . . but, as Mignon McLaughlin said, "What you cannot get out of, get into wholeheartedly." That really captures it for me. This book is a tremendous resource "how to do it" - handle change better. If the whole "cheese" phenomenon raised your awareness of what a mess you are when it comes to handling change, this is your book.