Book Review – Heart of Change – John P. Kotter & Dan S. Cohen

Book Review – Heart of Change – John P. Kotter & Dan S. Cohen
Reviewed by Ilker Cingillioglu, 15/04/2010

Heart of Change is the continuation of Kotter’s worldwide bestseller book Leading Change, in which his 8-step change model demonstrates some of the most crucial elements and easy-to-follow guidelines integral to help organizations leap successfully into the future.

The title of the book, Heart of Change, also implies the most important yet difficult challenge to tackle: changing people’s behaviour. The authors suggest that initiating human intensive transformation centred on the emotional concept of See-Feel-Change would work much better to foster heart-felt buy-in and overcome resistance to behaviour change than applying analytical, robust and financial measures.

Instead of adhering merely to simple do’s and don’ts of the standard 8 step sequence, in The Heart of Change, Kotter and Cohen break the mould of MBA jargon filled texts by filling out every step with practical stories that stir visual, heart-felt and emotional reaction. Unless this reaction is strong or shocking enough to get people off the dime, it is argued by the authors that any large-scale change initiative will be unlikely to succeed. The real-life stories discussed around the topic of each and every chapter are so insightful and expertly written that any reader would comprehend the message in the story and establish its connection with the big picture.

Players of organizational change can easily refer to the concrete examples and practical hints provided by this book each time a new transition challenge gets underway.

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