Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there.

This 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.

Complacency is almost always the product of success or perceived success

Without credible communication, and a lot of it, the hearts and minds of others are never captured.

The central issue is never strategy, structure, culture, or systems. The core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people.

I'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.

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.