Melissa, tell us a little about what is  behind the title, “Lead Change by Design: A Toolkit to Make Ideas Happen”.

Melissa: My strategy is remarkable products and services that look at a leading change in an innovative way. Look at the last two years – they’ve been difficult for most families, communities, and businesses. What we thought we knew, what we thought was secure, was blown out of the water. I think people are looking for fresh perspectives, new ideas. That’s what I plan to deliver.

In the three phases you have identified – idea shaping, idea connection and idea to market, where do you think people fall down the most? Why?

Melissa: People fall down at all levels, mostly because people are never taught how to make ideas happen in an organization. People are trained, even through our educational system, to wait to be told what to do, to be compliant, to obey instructions, to fit in, to keep their heads down. People, all people, need skills and tools to lead change. Not just executives, or managers, or change managers. All people. Imagine an organization where people see ideas, look for opportunities, understand the situation, understand the various decisions to be made to make something happen, are connected, motivated, aware. And they know how to create change that matters. That’s the type of organizations people want to work for.

Is your book an example of leading change on a personal or business level?

Melissa: Both. I use the tools outlined in my toolkit every day to shape communication, connect with people, and understand human behavior. I use the tools to run my business. I have two actions on my to-do list tonight, 1) create Q3 mind map, and 2) identify who I need in my tribe. These tools are a way to organize thinking. These tools are a map with actionable steps. People are bombarded with loads of information every day leaving many feeling lost. A clear, actionable map is like having a compass in the backcountry. It’s invaluable. This toolkit gets you out of, “yeah, but how?” to “yeah, what’s next?” You learn to jump over your own barriers. You learn to take action, to take steps forward. That’s how ideas happen, one actionable step at a time.

You explain how we will all experience dips and plateaus while going through change. What were your dips and plateaus as you went through developing your idea to print.

Melissa: There were many. I had to learn a new tool to design the book – a long plateau. I knew I wanted to create a book with visual impact. I wanted to tell a story and I knew I needed a powerful design tool to do that. I also struggled with whether to publish an ebook or whether to seek out a publisher for a printed book. I chose the former because I ultimately wanted the creative freedom with this book. I had people that I trust and respect disagree with my decision. In the end, I knew I needed to make the call and I did.

Breaking from the conventional change management models like Kotter and others was tough. I knew, deep down inside and from experience, that leading change was so much more than many of the surface level templates and assessments I had been exposed to in the change management courses I had attended and taught. I knew I needed to be able to say and write what I thought about the field of change management. My choice to explore, question, and expand thinking in a field that I think is so important resulted in the end of a business relationship. That was tough. I think when people get so attached to an idea, they forget that the natural and necessary process of exploration and evolution is required to reach new insight and awakening.

There is so much information in your eBook it could be overwhelming to a team or individual. Is there assistance helping me to put all this into action?

Melissa: Why, yes. Thanks for asking! There are a couple options. First, folks can schedule what I call “personal jump start sessions” where I work 1-on-1 or with a small group. Public workshops are being planned in Seattle and Washington D.C. in June – the details are being fleshed out right now. And, I design and deliver tailored workshops for companies.

What can I expect working with you?

Melissa: This is an easy one because I am who I am (I’m not very good at trying to be anybody else). So who am I? I’m fascinated by change – why it’s hard, why it’s hard to create, why it works when it does. Fifteen years in the high-tech corporate world taught me a lot about what works, and more importantly, what doesn’t work when leading change. This is important because I come with real world experience, practice, mistakes, and successes.

I think innovating is needed in how we lead change. I’m driven by bringing a sense of humanity back to corporations and what better way to do that than through teaching and giving people tools to make ideas happen and create change that matters. Change is the one constant, in all businesses, no matter what size. If the global economic crisis has taught us anything, we need people at all levels in organizations to think, lead, and to connect with people. We need a new kind of leadership with new thinking. We need people that know how to lead *** out of change.

A little bit about the author of Lead Change by Design: A Toolkit to Make Ideas Happen – Melissa Dutmers is married to ‘the fisherman‘, and is a writer, blogger, business coach, entrepreneur, dedicated equestrian, and lover of dogs. Her mission is to teach people how to design+manage+lead change in work & life. Join in her weekly conversations at RiverFork Consulting.

Update: Melissa no longer works as an independent consultant.