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Rating (5 Rising Suns is a must read - 1 Rising Sun is low interest in reading)

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Review
We found Bridge's book to be easy to read and very applicable. His premise is that change is not just making the new direction occur, but more importantly helping people to transition through the changes. Bridges suggests that helping people to deal with change at their emotional level will support change in being implemented more effectively.

Bridges shares his model in the first chapter of the book. This chapter is a bit academic in nature, yet easy to understand. In the second chapter he shares a real life story and then provides an opportunity for the reader to engage in the model by answering questions concerning the story. In these first two chapters Bridges helps the reader to understand the problem or the need to consider the notion of transitions.

In chapters three through six, Bridges discusses the phases of his model in detail. At the end of each chapter the reader is encouraged to answer a series of questions to help assess where they are with regard to each phase. These questions at the end of the chapters support the personal application of his model. We believe that you will not only understand his model better, you will also be encouraged to look at yourself and your organization in terms of what transition means and how well it is being implemented. Bridges shares practical ideas and hints on how to personally and organizationally move through the transition phases.

In the seventh chapter Bridges discusses an issue that is real to all of us, "How to deal with Nonstop Change." He provides everyday solutions and ideas to help the reader manage the concept of change. We all know that change is the only thing that is constant. Bridges provides us with some great strategies to manage the ever changing world. To help make the concept of transition even more real and understandable, Bridges places "A Practice Case" in chapter 8. The reader is able to read about a real life story again and answer various questions to apply the new learned knowledge of his model.

Overall, this is a topic that is near and dear to all of our hearts. Bridges strikes a chord in all of us. His style of sharing information, applying it through real life stories, and providing simple checklists that help us to assess where we are, is a recipe for a very helpful book. As a bonus, throughout Bridge's book he places numerous quotes and sayings to help cement his points. This is a book that every leader and organization should read and put into practice.

Summary of Main Points
"It isn't the changes that do you in, it's the transitions." This is Bridge's main premise. Managing Transitions is not necessarily about how to make change occur in and of itself, but more about how to help people transition through changes.

Bridges shares a simple, yet powerful model for supporting people through transitions. His model is comprised of three components:

* Ending, Losing, Letting Go

* The Neutral Zone

* The New Beginnings

Bridges shares that in order for people to engage in any change, there needs to be an "Ending" process. With change comes the loss or endings of old things. There needs to be intentional efforts made to allow people to experience these "Endings" and deal with their emotions. Bridges notes that every person will experience the change and transition process differently and at different paces.

Once people have appropriately let go of the old way, then they go through a phase called the "Neutral Zone." This is a period of confusion, excitement, creativity and the unknown. During this phase people understand that the old way is gone, but they are not real sure about what the new way looks like. They are trying to figure out how they fit it, what are their roles, and when will the new way occur. This is a time which can be very uncomfortable for many people. There is confusion and lack of clarity. It can also be an exciting time for some who enjoy these times to be creative and try new ways of doing business.

This leads to the final phase, "The New Beginnings." This begins the time when people begin to see the new direction more clearly. They begin to understand their role and how they fit in. This is usually a time where people buy-in and take ownership of the new direction. People and organizations begin to see the benefits of the new direction.

It is important to point out that there are many potential pitfalls within the change process that can derail this transition process. Bridges shares that organizations and people need to be intentional and methodical in supporting this process to occur in a healthy manner. People will face these emotions and phases no matter what happens, but as leaders we can intervene and support people to transition through change in a healthy and effective manner.

Call To Action
After reading this book, the following five points are a must do for leaders in the 21st century:

* You need to consider and plan for the emotional impact of change.

* Change does not simply occur because we implemented the new way, we must understand how people deal with change and support them through a process that allows managing the change in a healthy manner.

* We need to allow time for people and organizations to come to terms with new directions by implementing strategies such as communication and role clarification.

* We need to understand that everyone deals with change and transitions in different ways and at different paces.

* We must acknowledge the losses incurred due to change and allow people the necessary time to grieve.