Leading Change | John P. Kotter

Leading Change | John P. Kotter | The Gold Standard

books:

Leading Change

	Leading Change John P. Kotter Harvard Business School Press, 1996 - 187 pages average customer review:based on 76 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Leading Change

The author conveys practical and relevant information for leading and managing change. I highly recommend the book.

The Gold Standard

I first ran into this book several years ago in my MBA program. (It was used as a textbook.) I was very impressed. As I sudied its content and began to use the knowledge I gained, this soon became my "Bible" for change. I have used it everywhere I have done work across the country. Its principles are timeless and one can be successful with even the most difficult of work environments.

Change is good!

There is a "critical need" for leadership, especially in an ever changing world (144). Kotter discusses the many aspects of "change." Change starts with vision, so he shares the six "key characteristics" of effective vision and the "key elements" of communicating vision. Understanding that change occurs with a good leader, Kotter establishes the characteristics of a true leader and emphasizes how effective leadership helps the realization of vision. In communicating a vision, the leader must keep in mind how the vision will affect constituents since "everyone needs to be served well" (74). There are positive and negative aspects of this book. A negative aspect is that the book is written from a secular perspective. The focus is on satisfying constituents rather than glorifying God. However, there are many positives to Kotter's book. For example, Kotter discusses ways in which people can become better employees. He shares the importance of "attitudinal change"(108), and also mentions that a certain amount of pressure is good for people (127). Kotter's suggestions are designed with the organization in mind, but some of his methods would be beneficial for personal change. For instance, a way to "anchor change" in a culture is to provide "a lot of talk" (157). When a church acquires a new convert, "verbal instruction and support" are necessary ingredients for personal spiritual growth. In fact this is the key ingredient for discipleship and mentorship. Another way to "anchor change" is to realize that shifting the norms and values of people and organizations does not grow into fruition until the end of the "transformation process" (157). New converts must be taught that they will continue to make mistakes, but they must persevere because all believers are in the process of sanctification and their final transformation will not be realized until they have gone to Heaven. Knowing that the Lord can come back at any time (1 Thessalonians 5:2), should spark a sense of "urgency" in telling others about Jesus Christ , which is a way of leading change in the life of the individual (162).

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Good Starter

This is a good guide to what makes a change effort successful and unsuccessful. Read this before embarking on a major change that involves a group, business or otherwise.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, page 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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