Becoming a changemaker
Lead change from wherever you are.
Becoming a Changemaker gives you the mindset, tools, and everyday courage to turn ideas into action, influence without authority, and create meaningful change in your career, community, and beyond. No title or permission required.
CNBC
Named a “Top-five nonfiction book about work.”
27 Languages
Published or forthcoming in: 🇧🇬 🇨🇿 🇩🇰 🇳🇱 🇪🇪 🇫🇷 🇬🇪 🇩🇪 🇮🇱 🇮🇳 🇮🇩 🇮🇹 🇯🇵 🇰🇷 🇱🇻 🇱🇹 🇲🇳 🇵🇱 🇧🇷 🇷🇸 🇸🇰 🇪🇸 🇹🇭 🇹🇷 🇺🇦 🇻🇳
UC Berkeley Haas
Born from Alex’s acclaimed course, which inspired a campus-wide program now spanning 50+ classes.
Inside the book
The mindset and tools to turn ideas into action.
Changemaking is a practice, not a title. Through behavioral science, relatable stories, and practical tools, the book helps you lead positive change in a way that is true to who you are.
1/ Question the status quo: Use curiosity to challenge existing norms and uncover better possibilities.
2/ Influence without authority: Build support, mobilize others, and move an idea forward from any role.
3/ Learn through setbacks: Turn failure into feedback and keep making meaningful progress.
4/ Empower other changemakers: Create a ripple effect by helping others recognize their own agency.
5/ Move from idea to action: Use the Changemaker Canvas to turn an aspiration into manageable next steps.
Generous words from changemakers I admire.
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Dan Heath
NYTimes bestselling author of Switch, & Made to Stick
"This warm and inspiring book, filled with examples and practical tools, will be a catalyst for a new generation of leaders committed to changing the world for the better.”
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Muhammad Yunus
Nobel Laureate & Founder, Grameen Bank
“It will inspire.”
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Liz Wiseman
New York Times bestselling author of Multipliers and Impact Players
"Drawing on behavioral science and rich examples, Alex Budak offers the tools you need to step up, play bigger and increase your impact. Truly the world is ready for this book!”
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Alicia Wilson
Olympian, Team Great Britain & UC Berkeley ‘23
“Professor Budak’s Becoming a Changemaker course was life changing. It helped me find my voice and transformed who I am as a person and a leader. I’m so glad that this book now makes the magic of his course available to everyone!”
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Aaron Levie
CEO, Box
"Alex Budak provides an invaluable blueprint for changemakers of all types --in business, education, non profits, or government -- with practical and actionable advice on how to drive leadership in any organization or community.”
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Ibrahim Baldé
Founder, BlackBook University
“Taking Alex Budak’s course at UC Berkeley was the spark that turned me into a changemaker. I can’t wait for readers of the book to experience the same transformative power of Becoming a Changemaker that I experienced in the classroom.”
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Ben Rattray
Founder, Change.org
“Alex Budak provides a fresh look at leadership today, showing how each of us can lead positive change, whether we are working from the top of an organization or on the front-lines.”
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Sara El Amine
Head of Public Engagement, Public Policy, Lyft
“I've led teams of people ranging from 20 to 20,000, and have seen first hand that Alex Budak's inclusive approach to changemaking is exactly what our companies, communities and world need right now.”
International Editions:
Coming soon in: Dutch 🇳🇱 French 🇫🇷 Hebrew 🇮🇱 Indonesian 🇮🇩 Latvian 🇱🇻 Lithuanian 🇱🇹 Marathi 🇮🇳 Mongolian 🇲🇳 Serbian 🇷🇸 Slovak 🇸🇰 Spanish 🇪🇸 Ukrainian 🇺🇦 Vietnamese 🇻🇳
Available now in: Bulgarian 🇧🇬 Czech 🇨🇿 Danish 🇩🇰 Estonian 🇪🇪 Georgian 🇬🇪 German 🇩🇪 Hindi 🇮🇳 Italian 🇮🇹 Korean 🇰🇷 Japanese 🇯🇵 Polish 🇵🇱 Portuguese 🇧🇷 Thai 🇹🇭 Turkish 🇹🇷
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Bulgarian
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Czech
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Danish
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Estonian
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Georgian
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German
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Hindi
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Italian
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Japanese
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Korean
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Polish
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Portuguese
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Thai
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Turkish
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English - UK
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English - Aus/NZ
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Bulgarian
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Czech
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Danish
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Estonian
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Georgian
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German
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Hindi
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Italian
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Japanese
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Korean
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Polish
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Portuguese
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Thai
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Turkish
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English - UK
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English - Aus/NZ
Videos & Media
Prefer audio? Check out these 50+ podcasts I’ve been honored to join for wide-ranging conversations related to the book, influence, agency, impact, transformation, and all things positive change.
US Book launch at Berkeley Haas
Australia book launch in conversation with May Samali
Community Gallery
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Get your copy
Your next change can start here.
Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook.