SUSOBHAN MUKHERJEE

Future Search – Starts with getting the whole system in the room of vision, commitment and action. This line is so well said because as you read through the book it will always showcase above three commitments and the results out of it by following the process. Now this book provides examples, process for success. So let’s give brief about how the “Future Search” was born. Marvin Weisbord clearly mentioned about large group methods in his book Productive Workplaces (1987), which consists about the history of thinking about organization. While reflecting about what worked for the organization and what not worked for the organization, he realized that he was able to bring all the stakeholders in the room and he analyzed that from there he can effectively create changes which were desired and desirable ones were created out of it . After reflection from his book and having a dialogue with Eric Trist and Merrelyn Emery about their Search conference work, he developed a new method called “Future Search”. It’s a guide, step by step process to create successful future for the school children, environmental sustainable plan for recycling of products, achieve the impossible, reviving during the recession, improving schools, curbing pollution, improving the systems for betterment, etc. It provides evidence about how to improve and become successful through a step by step process and planning. Future Search focuses to give people a chance to express their highest ideals and it changes the conditions where people interact, so when it is controlled, outcomes are superb. But to enable and achieve excellent outcomes, it requires hard work of all the stakeholders involved plus it requires the people to follow, believe, trusting and commitment to the process. In simple terms it requires full involvement and commitment of time, energy, commitment and money. So this book provides the details about it. Future Search is important because it pushes the boundaries of traditional organization development in new directions. So as we start its gives examples of result that has been obtained in different sectors who have used future search method, then what are the conditions required for successful future search. How the evolution of future search took place with its updates time to time. Then the main part of the future search starts from here i.e. planning which is the crucial and important. Important instructions to all the stakeholders who are involved in the future search. It further mentions about choosing of right topic, creating right conditions and providing required logistics for successful outcomes. To make this process successful the role of practitioner is very important and he/she needs to be skilled. So it mentions about what the skills are required for it plus how to take care certain issues when there is anxiety, building trust and staying with the process. Lastly the most important thing is effective follow up after the future search. When you finish reading the book and again start reading for the second time you will understand the examples are actually effective follow up examples mentioning how the result was and how much achievement and outcomes were obtained. For a first time reader who wants to implement in practice should start by writing all the key points in chart and rehearse it so that it becomes in practice. There will be mistakes and discrepancies in starting but with the help of this book you can learn and improve at an alarming rate.

This book is bible for the Organization Development and change students and practitioners as well as first time enthusiastic and curious readers. This mentions how the OD originated from starting till now by mentioning every connect and source of evolution. Each word has meaning and origin behind it. So to understand fully, you need to read and understand it and the language is simple and lucid. It will give you clearer picture of OD and create a foundation for your new obtained knowledge. It will create a lens to see OD everywhere. Reading this book will create a basic foundation and a flexible framework to read more about OD in future.