New Book Offers a Unique Perspective on Organizational Transformation

In a new book, a team of veteran digital leaders, including an academic, an operator, and a visual artist/storyteller, take a unique look at organizational transformation. They argue that focusing on employees and uncovering unique competencies and empowering them are necessary to break through transformational hurdles and thrive in a world affected by artificial intelligence (AI). The book, Monster Transformation: Conquer Your Digital Fears, Be AI Ready, and Focus on What Matters to Your Organization, is due out in December.

"Monster Transformation is about uncovering threats to success, using current employees to mitigate these threats, and in turn, building key traits needed in a rapidly evolving space, including adaptability, resiliency, alignment, and pragmatic planning," explains Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College, who coauthored the book.

Lightman's co-author is Rafeh Masood, a business executive with experience leading large-scale transformations across the retail and consumer industries. He is also a frequent contributor to executive education at Heinz College. Lightman and Masood are joined by Gary Hirsch, a well-known graphic artist and one of the founders of On Your Feet (OYF.com), a collaboration of creative thinkers working with well-known brands.

The team spent years interviewing and researching why barriers occur and persist, as well as best practices in reducing their impact. They used their cumulative experience in understanding psychology, organizational behavior, and tactics behind change management. The book's title comes from the authors' frustrations in seeing these barriers—what they term monsters—occur continuously without being addressed adequately.

"Playbooks, frameworks, and guidelines have limited impact," says Lightman. "What's needed is to activate these unique employees with specific competencies—what we call monster slayers—to accurately target the barriers and eradicate them sustainably."

The book is written for business leaders interested in organizational transformation. The authors explain the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes required to prepare for impactful transformation, offering a story-driven approach to meeting the needs of the current technological moment. The book also features:

• A foreword by Shellye Archambeau, bestselling author of Unapologetically Ambitious;
• Examples of transformation blockers and obstacles, as well as the steps needed to eliminate and overcome them;
• Insights from interviews with more than 100 professionals from CEOs and chief data officers to industry pundits and academics across industries and organizational layers providing real-world lessons;
• Ten case stories from well-known brands such as Ferrari, Instacart, Patagonia, and Calm; and
• Hands-on scenarios, exercises, and actionable takeaways that can be used immediately at any organization.

For more information, visit the book's site at www.monstertranformation.com or the book's LinkedIn page to learn more about the story behind the visuals and catch up with new Monsters. The book is available for pre-order.

More information:
Summarized from the book, Monster Transformation: Conquer Your Digital Fears, Be AI Ready, and Focus on What Matters to Your Organization, by Lightman, A (Carnegie Mellon University), Masood, R (Royal Caribbean Group), and Hirsch, G (On Your Feet). Copyright 2025 Wiley. All rights reserved.

Provided by Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College