Terms of Engagement

Organizational change pioneer Richard Axelrod explains why the old mechanistic approaches to change no longer work and offers four essential new principles that lead to an engaged organization: I. Widen the circle of involvement, II. Connect people to each other and ideas, III. Create communities for action, and IV. Practice democratic principles. On November 23, 2010, Susan Stamm interviewed Richard for Bookends Bookclub, a service of The TEAM Approach. In this interview, the participants explore the implications of engaging employees and other stake holders to enhance the organization’s effectiveness (profitability). Drawing on numerous examples from such companies as Hewlett-Packard, Mercy Healthcare, First Union Bank, and others, Axelrod explains in his book how the four principles of the Engagement Paradigm enable leaders to create energy and commitment instead of apathy and resistance. He then reveals how this system-wide commitment in turn fosters the energetic, flexible, responsive organizations necessary to thrive in the 21st century. Recognizing the potential for misapplication, he also shows how engagement can disengage, and identifies potential pitfalls to avoid.