Ch-Ch-Ch-Change

John Kotter's 1996 book Leading Change was required reading, along with Roger Firestein's Leading on the Creative Edge and Daniel Goleman's Primal Leadership in my Creative Leadership class at The International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College (SUNY). In this book, Our Iceberg is Melting, the best-selling Harvard author teams with Holger Rathgeber to present his "Eight Step Process of Successful Change" in the form of an illustrated business fable about a colony of penguins which must deal with their shrinking iceberg home. (Sorry "W", there is no Cliff's Notes on the Classic Comics version of this book, but we can arrange for it to be read aloud to you.)

The book is a quick read, very accessible and is a great way to "break the ice" -- and communicate Kotter's 8 Step process which in short, is:

Set the Stage
1. Create a Sense of Urgency
2. Pull Together the Guiding Team
Decide What to Do
3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy
Make it Happen
4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy In
5. Empower Others to Act
6. Produce Short-Term Wins
7. Don't Let Up
Make it Stick
8. Create a New Culture

If you find yourself in a situation requiring change (and who doesn't?) wherein change is being resisted (and when does that NOT happen?!) this little book could begin the thaw and start people warming up to the idea that change is necessary.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus observed that "The only thing constant is change."

This little book, Our Iceberg is Melting teaches us that if life deals you a cracking iceberg habitat, you might as well make ice cubes and "party on dudes" to your next destination.

Doug Stevenson for The Innovise Guys