“The Real Reason People Won’t Change” is a book by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey. The authors are both experts in the field of adult development, and Harvard Business Review Press publishes the book. The book is focused on understanding the underlying reasons why people resist change and how to overcome this resistance.

The authors argue that people often resist change because they are unconsciously committed to maintaining their current ways of thinking and behaving. They call this phenomenon “immunity to change” and argue that it results from deeply ingrained assumptions and beliefs that are not visible to the person themselves.

The book provides a framework for uncovering these hidden assumptions and beliefs and offers practical guidance on addressing them. The authors argue that by making these assumptions and beliefs explicit, people can begin to see how they hold themselves back and take steps to change.

The book also provides examples and case studies of individuals and organizations that have successfully overcome immunity to change, such as a school principal who was able to improve student performance by addressing her hidden assumptions about leadership.

In summary, “The Real Reason People Won’t Change” is a book that provides a framework for understanding why people resist change and offers practical guidance on overcoming this resistance. The authors argue that people often resist change because they are unconsciously committed to maintaining their current ways of thinking and behaving, a phenomenon called “immunity to change.” The book provides examples and case studies of individuals and organizations that have successfully overcome immunity to change and provides insights on how to address the hidden assumptions and beliefs that hold people back.

Kegan and Lahey provide a valuable analysis of why people resist change. They argue that people often resist change because they are unconsciously committed to maintaining their current ways of thinking and behaving, which they call “immunity to change.” This concept is important because it highlights that resistance to change is not always a conscious choice but rather an unconscious commitment to maintaining one’s status quo.

The authors provide a framework for uncovering these hidden assumptions and beliefs and offer practical guidance on addressing them. They suggest that by making these assumptions and beliefs explicit, people can begin to see how they hold themselves back and take steps to change. This approach is valuable as it helps individuals to become more self-aware and understand the underlying reasons for their resistance to change.

The book provides examples and case studies of individuals and organizations that have successfully overcome immunity to change. These examples illustrate the authors’ points and provide a deeper understanding of how immunity to change can be overcome.

In conclusion, “The Real Reason People Won’t Change” is a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand and overcome resistance to change. The author’s concept of “immunity to change” is a fresh perspective on why people resist change and provides a framework for understanding the underlying reasons for this resistance. The book offers practical guidance on addressing these hidden assumptions and beliefs and provides examples and case studies that illustrate the authors’ points. The book helps leaders to understand the complexity of change and how to approach it more effectively.