Our Iceberg Is Melting – The Eight Step Process of Successful Change
Aug 19th, 2008 by William Jones
The book has been out for about a year, but I finally got around to reading Our Iceberg Is Melting by John Kotter-and checking it off of my reading list. If you have an hour to spare, this book is small and can easily be read over a lunch break or before going to bed. I found the story very entertaining, easy to read, and quite enjoyable.
Our Iceberg Is Melting is a fable about a colony of emperor penguins that has lived on an ice berg in Antartica for as long as they can remember. Fred, the main character, is very curious and has a keen sense of observation and notices over a period of time that the only home that they know could be in danger of breaking apart. The story chronicles Fred’s challenges as he tries to convey his information initially to the penguin council and then to the entire colony. Fred runs into roadblock along the way, but logically navigates them, ultimately convincing the colony to change its way of thinking, resulting in them changing their way of life for the better by never being complacent and always being prepared to adapt to new situations. I highly recommend this quick read by Kotter. I have included the eight step of change below…
The Eight Step Process of Successful Change:
Set the Stage
1. Create a Sense of Urgency
Help others see the need for the change and the importance of acting immediately.
2. Pull Together the Guiding Team
Make sure there is a powerful group guiding the change-one with leadership skills, credibility, communications ability, authority, analytical skills, and a sense of urgency.
Decide What to Do
3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy.
Make it Happen
4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy In.
Make sure as many others as possible understand and accept the vision and the strategy.
5. Empower Others to Act
Remove as many barriers as possible so that those who want to make the vision a reality can do so.
6. Produce Short-Term Wins.
Create some visible, unambiguous successes as soon as possible.
7. Don’t Let Up.
Press harder and faster after the first successes. Be relentless with initiating change after change until the vision is a reality.
Make it Stick
8. Create a New Culture.
Hold on to the new ways of behaving, and make sure they succeed, until they become strong enough to replace old traditions.