From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change
2024 Axiom Award Silver Medalist in Independent Thought Leadership
How do we embrace being generative to sustain excellence in the workplace?
The modern working world doesn't leave much time for reflection. Leaders in particular are encouraged to speed ahead, make quick decisions, and seek swift solutions to any problem that may arise. However, the full-speed-ahead approach can backfire. By taking time to pause and reflect, it's possible to notice new pathways and develop innovative solutions that allow for impactful results.
Executive coach Janet M. Harvey has worked with leaders and teams around the world to explore the common tensions that arise in the workplace. Her conclusion? Tension in the workplace is inevitable. It's how you navigate it that determines whether you will sustain excellence-or flame out.
In this book, Janet explores the vehicle of generative change as one way to navigate tension in the workplace. Using real-life case studies and personal anecdotes, she compiles decades of her work as a coach to introduce readers to the vehicle of generative change. Each chapter includes activities and reflection exercises, making this an actionable guide that anyone can use to explore the value of generative change for themselves.
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"In From Tension to Transformation, Janet M. Harvey serves as your guide to lead generative change. Amidst all of the chaos, leaders who rely on empowering reflection-available through the generative vehicle for change that this book offers-can look ahead and see a year filled with ongoing learning, improved collaboration, and better results."
-Mark Thompson, Chairman, ChiefExecutiveAlliance.com
"Pragmatic, provocative, fully actionable, and so urgently needed in today's VUCA world. In From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change, Janet Harvey taps into, and offers, a thoroughly researched and practical guide for embracing and managing the ever-present and cascading tensions confronting today's leaders. Whether a senior, experienced leader, an emerging leader, or a leader in mid-stride, From Tension to Transformation is a must-read. If you are honest with yourself, you will see painfully clear, or amusingly faint, glimmers of yourself in every chapter. Thankfully, I see myself in all three. Do not miss this transformative and generative read."
-Michael D. Rochelle, PCC, CMC, LTG (USA, retired)
"Extraordinary leaders actively pursue lifelong learning, introspection, and increasing insight. From Tension to Transformation brims with authentic and practical wisdom-consider it an essential companion on the leadership journey."
-Laura S. Kaiser, FACHE, President and CEO, SSM Health
"In this increasingly fast-changing world leaders need to build trust more than ever by being trustworthy. This in turn requires congruence of thoughts, feelings, and actions. Janet's new book shows a roadmap to accomplish this. A must-read for leaders navigating unprecedented change."
-Niren Chaudhary, Chairman of the Board, Panera Brands
"Janet Harvey shares with us the opportunity for guided personal reflection with From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change. She asks us to tap and reclaim our sovereignty to bring our best to all aspects of our lives and to pause (maybe even slow down!) to be with tension, judgment, and fear so we can grow and just 'be' with more intention. This is not a book to be read. Rather, it is a journey guide to being and bringing all of you to life-personal and professional. Enjoy the work!"
-Shannon Connor Phillips, MD, Chief Health Officer, Joyous
"Janet Harvey is an unignorable voice in the social impact leadership space and with From Tension to Transformation, she has raised the bar again. She destroys antiquated thinking with aplomb and forces the reader to rethink their beliefs about effective leadership, the pitfalls of speed, and the power of generative change. This book should be required reading in all MBA & executive leadership programs worldwide."
-Alok Appadurai, Founder and CEO, Uplift Millions
"If, like me, you have spent most of your working life as a sales leader charging at a moving target we call business growth and rarely having time to pause and reflect, then From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change by Janet M. Harvey is the book for you. Reading and reflecting on the lessons shared by a master coach will help you to sit with the fear of inactivity that can lead us to make rash judgments before thoroughly considering all the implications. Managed properly, tension can be healthy, confrontation can be constructive, and fear can be harnessed-this ground-breaking work shows you how."
-Kevin Thiele, Founder and CEO, Sales Code
