Overcoming complacency is crucial at the start of any change process, and it often requires a little bit of surprise, something that grabs attention at more than an intellectual level. You need to surprise people with something that disturbs their view that everything is perfect.
John P. KotterThis is true even in organizations that are very focused on analysis and quantitative measurement, even among people who think of themselves as smart in an MBA sense. In highly successful change efforts, people find ways to help others see the problems or solutions in ways that influence emotions, not just thought.
John P. KotterPeople are more inclined to be drawn in if their leader has a compelling vision. Great leaders help people get in touch with their own aspirations and then will help them forge those aspirations into a personal vision.
John P. KotterLeadership is about setting a direction. It's about creating a vision, empowering and inspiring people to want to achieve the vision, and enabling them to do so with energy and speed through an effective strategy. In its most basic sense, leadership is about mobilizing a group of people to jump into a better future.
John P. KotterLeadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles.
John P. KotterBecause management deals mostly with the status quo and leadership deals mostly with change, in the next century we are going to have to try to become much more skilled at creating leaders.
John P. KotterThe rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, competition in most industries will probably speed up even more in the next few decades.
John P. KotterNeurologists say that our brains are programmed much more for stories than for abstract ideas. Tales with a little drama are remembered far longer than any slide crammed with analytics.
John P. KotterMany years ago, I think I got my first insight on how an incredibly diverse team can work together and do astonishing things, and not just misunderstand each other and fight.
John P. KotterWe are always creating new tools and techniques to help people, but the fundamental framework is remarkably resilient, which means it must have something to do with the nature of organizations or human nature.
John P. KotterGreat communicators have an appreciation for positioning. They understand the people they're trying to reach and what they can and can't hear. They send their message in through an open door rather than trying to push it through a wall.
John P. KotterPeople change what they do less because they are given an analysis that shifts their thinking than because they are shown a truth that influences their feelings.
John P. KotterProducing major change in an organization is not just about signing up one charismatic leader. You need a group - a team - to be able to drive the change. One person, even a terrific charismatic leader, is never strong enough to make all this happen.
John P. KotterValued achievements connect to people at a deeper level—and a deeper level can change behavior that is generally very difficult to change.
John P. KotterLeaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there.
John P. KotterOver the years I have become convinced that we learn best - and change - from hearing stories that strike a chord within us ... Those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies and for themselves.
John P. KotterIn the final analysis, change sticks when it becomes the way we do things around here.
John P. KotterGood communication does not mean that you have to speak in perfectly formed sentences and paragraphs. It isn't about slickness. Simple and clear go a long way.
John P. KotterI'm impatient. Typically people think they know all about change and don't need help. Their approach tends to be more management-oriented than leadership-oriented. It's very frustrating.
John P. KotterThe central issue is never strategy, structure, culture, or systems. The core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people.
John P. KotterCommercial organisations that operate responsibly have benefitted by increased revenues of 682% compared to 166% for those that don't
John P. KotterManagers are trained to make incremental, programmatic improvements. They aren't trained to lead large-scale change.
John P. KotterWhat's really driving the boom in coaching, is this: as we move from 30 miles an hour to 70 to 120 to 180......as we go from driving straight down the road to making right turns and left turns to abandoning cars and getting motorcycles...the whole game changes, and a lot of people are trying to keep up, learn how not to fall.
John P. KotterAnyone in a large organization who thinks major change is impossible should probably get out.
John P. KotterWithout credible communication, and a lot of it, the hearts and minds of others are never captured.
John P. KotterAnalytical tools have their limitations in a turbulent world. These tools work best when parameters are known, assumptions are minimal, and the future is not fuzzy.
John P. KotterOne of the most common ways to overcome resistance to change is to educate people about it beforehand. Communication of ideas helps people see the need for and the logic of a change. The education process can involve one-on-one discussions, presentations to groups, or memos and reports.
John P. KotterMost US corporations today are over-managed and under-led. They need to develop their capacity to exercise leadership.
John P. KotterIn an ever changing world, you never learn it all, even if you keep growing into your 90s.
John P. KotterGreat leaders understand that historical success tends to produce stable and inwardly focused organizations, and these outfits, in turn, reinforce a feeling of contentment with the status quo.
John P. KotterIf the culture you have is radically different from an 'experiment and take-risk' culture, then you have a big change you going to have to make - and no little gimmicks are going to do it for you.
John P. KotterOutsiders have the intuitive ability to continually view problems in fresh ways and to identify ineffective practices and traditions.
John P. KotterMotivation and inspiration energize people, not by pushing them in the right direction as control mechanisms do but by satisfying basic human needs for achievement, a sense of belonging, recognition, self-esteem, a feeling of control over one's life, and the ability to live up to one's ideals. Such feelings touch us deeply and elicit a powerful response.
John P. KotterNever underestimate the magnitude of the power of the forces that reinforce the status quo.
John P. KotterGreat leadership does not mean running away from reality. Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better.
John P. Kotter