BQF Innovation Blog » Books

Kotter’s 8 Point Plan for Leading Major Change

Paul Sloane — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:25:51 +0000

I recently read Leading Change by John Kotter. It has become something of a classic among management books. He starts by listing eight reasons why major organisational change initiatives fail. He then goes on to give his eight point plan for leading change. The process he recommends is:

Establish a Sense of Urgency
Create a Guiding Coalition
Develop a Vision and Strategy
Communicate the Change Vision
Empower Employees for broad-based Action
Generate Short-Term Wins
Consolidate Gains and Produce more Change
Anchor the New Approahces in the Corporate Culture

He clearly explains the why and how for each point and stresses the importance of following this procedure in sequence and of not omitting any steps. Both leadership and management is needed in the process and he shows their different roles. The book is easy to read and the arguments are cogent. There are many examples and stories – though no proper case studies. Overall it is a highly valuable guide to the tough challenge of leading change.

Paul Sloane

How to Use De Bono’s Six Hats

Paul Sloane — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:41:20 +0000

I teach de Bono’s Six Hats on my leadership workshops and people generally find it a very productive way to run meetings and to reach decisions. It replaces the strife and circular arguments that plague many meetings with a method and a discipline that gets you to better decisions faster. If you want to know more then you can:

Get the book

Go to my tutorial

Paul Sloane

Book Review – The Open Innovation Revolution

Paul Sloane — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:06:02 +0000

Stefan Lindegaard is recognised as a leading writer and thinker on innovation. In this book he takes on the hot topic of Open Innovation (OI) which he defines as bridging internal and external resources to make innovation happen. The early chapters are excellent. He clearly explains the need for OI and how to approach it. He argues that it is more important to get the right people in place than the right process in place. He shows how to identify and develop the people who drive OI. His sections on why CEOs do not get OI and how to overcome the roadblocks to OI are particularly cogent.

His style is very personal and directive with many first-person comments. There are various interviews and case studies in the book – some are excellent. I like the way he summarises the key takeaways in each chapter.

In the chapter on Radical Innovation he throws out a provocative statement – Radical Innovation is too difficult for most companies and they should play it safer. He then discusses the point and largely proves that it is true unless your business can meet the stringent guidelines that he develops.

In the later chapters he diverges from the main subject and covers topics such as knowing your personal values, managing time and polishing your personal brand. This is standard self-help stuff which really does not belong in this book. He returns towards the theme with a chapter on corporate business plan competitions which is packed with useful advice which applies to internal more than open innovation.

The book has many powerful examples, stories, tips and guidelines. Despite the diversions it stands as a valuable and practical addition to your innovation bookshelf.

Paul Sloane

Book Review – The Future of Management

Paul Sloane — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:10:59 +0000

In this significant new work, Gary Hamel challenges our thinking about management. He argues that the management methods used in most organisations are relics of systems designed over 100 years ago to control and command. They are inappropriate, inadequate and obstructive for knowledge-based 21st century organisations that want to be agile and innovative. He gives detailed case studies of companies that use new and advanced management methods. In particular he describes Whole Foods, W L Gore and Google. He advises that we completely replace conventional systems of management with a much more democratic and empowered environment where people can take responsibility for their own decisions and express their creativity in a trusted community. He gives Web 2.0 as the model for the new world of management – powerful peer networks.

His writing style is excellent – intelligent, articulate and stimulating. His examples are very useful for putting the points into context. The Future of Management will challenge your thinking and ask you some uncomfortable questions. It is highly recommended.

Click here for a full list of my recommended books on Innovation, Leadership and Creativity.

Paul Sloane