TITLE : TEACHING THE ELEPHANT TO DANCE: THE MANAGER'S GUIDE TO EMPOWERING CHANGE.

No one writes a book alone. This particular effort has been the product of thousands of special people's brains, eyes, hands, energy and time.

This is the fourth full version. Many individuals read, commented, and corrected previous editions. Each of their insights dramatically improved the manuscript. Their conviction that Elephant worked for them sustained me through the long hours at the computer.

Even more listened to presentations about the book. Their comments and reactions became part of the folder for these pages. Yet more important, the fire of need burning in their eyes and their excitement about using Elephant to change their organizations encouraged me through the inevitable dark days of doubt and waiting.

I have been blessed with an extraordinary cast of teammates. Meredith Kunsa rightfully earns accolades from every one of our clients for her positive, helpful, competent manner. Her sharp administrative mind is without peer. Without her, Elephant would still be a sheaf of scattered papers. She is a gem.

Peggy Covert, who directs the Professional Development Program at San Diego State University, created numerous opportunities for me to test Elephant. Her entrepreneurial spirit is rare in university settings. SDSU, the San Diego business community, and I am fortunate she invests her considerable talent with us.

Chairs Penny Wright and Jim Beatty-and my colleagues in the Management Department at SDSU-were very helpful in supporting me during the writing of Elephant. Thanks to them we have an excellent department. I am grateful that they continue to find ways in which I can contribute to our growing educational and research competence.

Editor Jim Wade has been stellar. Book publishing can prematurely age authors and editors alike. Jim's belief in Elephant-and his competence in piloting it through the publishing shoals-converted potential traumas into gratifying experiences. Jim writes the best copy on short notice that I've ever seen (he's the fastest man in the East with a typewriter). Jim's excellent assistant Katie Towson handled the myriad details with aplomb.

I owe a debt to the thousands of practitioners from whose words and deeds Elephant draws life. Several of them are specifically cited in the text-including Sam, Paul, and Ralph. Many others live between the lines, embodied in the printer's ink on the page. This book is my effort to repay that obligation for the benefit of all those who follow.

This has been an incredible learning experience for me. As is typical, the credits for Elephant lie elsewhere. The faults rest with the author.