Kotter's Leading Change
Bibliographical Entry
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MS: Harvard Business Review Press.
Biographical Sketch of Author
John P. Kotter is an American educator and author. He earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science in 1968 from Harvard University, a Master of Science from MIT in 1970, and a Doctor of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1972. He joined the Harvard Business School in 1972 and is currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at Harvard Business School. He is cofounder of Kotter International, a leadership organization that helps Global 5000 company leaders accelerate the implementation of their change strategies in a complex environment.
He has authored eighteen books including twelve best sellers. This book was written in the mid-1990s when the leadership meta-discipline of change was receiving significant attention both in academia and business.
Summary of Concepts
The primary thesis of Leading Change is that for organizations to be successful in a significantly changing environment they need to identify where and how top performers derail during the change process, and they need to follow an 8-step process to manage significant change to achieve transformational results.
The work begins by showing how the rate of change in the business environment is significant and increasing. This is due to several forces outside an organization including increased competition, globalization, technology improvements, and social trends. The author asserts that organizations have not operated well in this rapidly changing environment as many of their structures, systems, methods, and culture have been more of a drag on change rather than a facilitator of change. Based on the author’s experience, some of the “common errors” organizations make include allowing too much complacency, not adequately leveraging effective leadership and vision, not sustaining
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MS: Harvard Business Review Press.
Biographical Sketch of Author
John P. Kotter is an American educator and author. He earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science in 1968 from Harvard University, a Master of Science from MIT in 1970, and a Doctor of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1972. He joined the Harvard Business School in 1972 and is currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at Harvard Business School. He is cofounder of Kotter International, a leadership organization that helps Global 5000 company leaders accelerate the implementation of their change strategies in a complex environment.
He has authored eighteen books including twelve best sellers. This book was written in the mid-1990s when the leadership meta-discipline of change was receiving significant attention both in academia and business.
Summary of Concepts
The primary thesis of Leading Change is that for organizations to be successful in a significantly changing environment they need to identify where and how top performers derail during the change process, and they need to follow an 8-step process to manage significant change to achieve transformational results.
The work begins by showing how the rate of change in the business environment is significant and increasing. This is due to several forces outside an organization including increased competition, globalization, technology improvements, and social trends. The author asserts that organizations have not operated well in this rapidly changing environment as many of their structures, systems, methods, and culture have been more of a drag on change rather than a facilitator of change. Based on the author’s experience, some of the “common errors” organizations make include allowing too much complacency, not adequately leveraging effective leadership and vision, not sustaining