The Heart of Change

By John P. Kotter

In this book Kotter  explains how people change less because they are given analysis and facts about  why change is needed and more because we show them a truth that influences their  feelings. This concept is not adopted by all those writing on change management.  Yet it is a concept that does fit with my experience. Unless the facts, figures,  and general information presented by those wanting to effect change is  compelling enough to generate the feelings that change is a requirement, then  change will not happen. Kotter puts it this way: See, Feel, Change. So the  information and analysis must be geared toward the "seeing," and the "feeling"  in order to prompt people to change. If we do not actively pursue the task of  driving necessary change, change management becomes an oxymoron - change forced  upon us becomes chaos and we do not manage the change, it manages us.

One of the things I enjoyed  most about reading this book was the clear and logical layout with the  interesting web-page navigation graphics. Also the case studies from "real life"  gave practical examples of what successful change might look like in our  companies. His eight steps to successful change are: 1. Increase Urgency, 2.  Build the Guiding Team, 3. Get the Vision Right, 4. Communicate for Buy-In, 5.  Empower Action, 6. Create Short-Term wins, 7. Don't let up, 8. Make Change  Stick.

All of this helps in building a  practice of Shaping the Corporate Culture, which is, of course, near and dear to  our hearts at dbkAssociates. Many of the insights in this book will be of  practical use to us and to our clients.

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