Seven secrets of transformation

Purpose - To offer seven guides to institutional change.Design methodology approach - The Director of the Office of Force Transformation draws on his experience in transforming the US military to offer seven guides to institutional change.Findings - The seven guides are as follows: some major changes are inevitable and should be noted as such; having a good forecast ahead of others is of little use if they are not ready to acknowledge it; future trends must rely on data-free research to some extent; it is possible to use the media for your purposes by focusing on pivotal ideas they like to promulgate; to change institutions requires changing their culture, which in turn requires changing carefully selected values and symbols; transformation demands not only creative imagination but the hard work of implementation; and look for those crucial tipping points when achieving a critical mass can swing dramatic changes quickly.Originality value - Offers an experience-based insight into the world of organizational transformation.