The typical goal that binds individuals together on guiding change coalitions is a commitment to excellence, a real desire to make their organizations perform to the very highest levels possible. Reengineering, acquisitions, and cultural change efforts often fail because that desire is missing. Instead, one finds people committed to their own departments, divisions, friends, or careers.

— John P. Kotter

John P. Kotter Quotes

We keep a change in place by helping to create a new, supportive, and sufficiently strong organizational culture.

— John P. Kotter

If 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. Kotter

Nothing undermines change more than behavior by important individuals that is inconsistent with the verbal communication.

— John P. Kotter

Management makes a system work. It helps you do what you know how to do. Leadership builds systems or transforms old ones.

— John P. Kotter

Whenever smart and well-intentioned people avoid confronting obstacles, they disempower employees and undermine change.

— John P. Kotter

If you cannot describe your vision to someone in five minutes and get their interest, you have more work to do in this phase of a transformation process.

— John P. Kotter

Employees in large, older firms often have difficulty getting a transformation process started because of the lack of leadership coupled with arrogance, insularity, and bureaucracy.

— John P. Kotter

Bureaucratic cultures can smother those who want to respond to shifting conditions.

— John P. Kotter

Major change is often said to be impossible unless the head of the organization is an active supporter.

— John P. Kotter

A useful rule of thumb: Whenever you cannot describe the vision driving a change initiative in five minutes or less and get a reaction that signifies both understanding and interest, you are in for trouble. Error.

— John P. Kotter

In a less competitive and slower-moving world, weak committees can help organizations adapt at an acceptable rate. A committee makes recommendations. Key line managers reject most of the ideas. The group offers additional suggestions. The line moves another inch. The committee tries again. When both competition and technological change are limited, this approach can work. But in a faster-moving world, the weak committee always fails.

— John P. Kotter

A guiding coalition made up only of managers – even superb managers who are wonderful people – will cause major change efforts to fail.

— John P. Kotter

Without short-term wins, too many employees give up or actively join the resistance. Creating.

— John P. Kotter

Never underestimate the power of clever people to help others see the possibilities, to help them generate a feeling of faith, and to change behavior.

— John P. Kotter

Human beings are sometimes slaves to the ugly and weak sides of human nature,” he told employees. “However, if you set high goals for yourselves and every day continue to reflect on them, step by step you will be more focused and make yourself a better human being, becoming a happier person for it.

— John P. Kotter

We need to become less like an elephant and more like a customer-friendly Tyrannosaurus rex.

— John P. Kotter

When people fail to develop the coalition needed to guide change, the most common reason is that down deep they really don’t think a transformation is necessary or they don’t think a strong team is needed to direct the change. Skill at team building is rarely the central problem.

— John P. Kotter

The typical goal that binds individuals together on guiding change coalitions is a commitment to excellence, a real desire to make their organizations perform to the very highest levels possible. Reengineering, acquisitions, and cultural change efforts often fail because that desire is missing. Instead, one finds people committed to their own departments, divisions, friends, or careers.

— John P. Kotter

Empower Others to Act. Remove as many barriers as possible so that those who want to make the vision a reality can do so. Encourage others to remove barriers and make true innovation happen.

— John P. Kotter

Tradition dies a hard death. Culture changes with as much difficulty in penguin colonies as in human colonies. But with this colony, culture did change.

— John P. Kotter
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