Includes bibliographical references (pages 185-186) and index.

The internal languages: building the new machine. From the language of complaint to the language of commitment -- From the language of blame to the language of personal responsibility -- From the language of New Year's resolutions to the language of competing commitments: diagnosing the immunity to change -- From the language of big assumptions that hold us to the language of assumptions we hold: disturbing the immunity to change -- The social languages: maintaining and upgrading the machine. From the language of prizes and praising to the language of ongoing regard -- From the language of rules and policies to the language of public agreement -- From the language of constructive criticism to the language of deconstructive criticism -- Carrying on the work. Running the internal languages -- Running the social languages -- Epilogue: Toward the transformation highway: transcending the limits of the information age. Using a mix of organizational analysis, worksheets and sample dialogues, this volume provides forms of language and thinking which ensure broad and long-lasting organizational transformation.