The Heart of Change and Organizational Behavior and Management

Introduction

This integrative paper is organized around the steps of the Kotter and Cohan’s The Heart of Change.  This paper discusses how the concepts out of the classroom textbook Organizational Behavior and Management are consistent with Kotter and Cohan’s eight steps.  The paper attempts to integrate Kotter and Cohan’s key themes and reasoning with the textbook theories on organizational behavior and management concepts.  Kotter and Cohan explain their eight step concept to change in an organization by using real world stories of how people change their organization.  The textbook uses theories, research, and organizational applications to explain organizational behavior and management.

Discussion

Step 1:

In Kotter and Cohen’s book The Heart of Change, the first step is “increase urgency”.   At this step Kotter and Cohen states that in order for a change to take place in an organization, a feeling of urgency must be displayed to the organization.  As they state on page 35 of “The Heart of Change”, “Raise a feeling of urgency so that people say “let’s go” making a change effort well positioned for launch.”  Kotter and Cohen explains what “works” and what “does not work” when trying to get people to understand the urgency needed to make changes in the business.  Kotter and Cohen used real world stories to describe what works to increase urgency and what does not work to increase urgency.  Using a compelling object that a person can see, feel, and touch works to compel people to understand the since of urgency.  Having costumers interact with the organization will demonstrate the need for urgent change.  Kotter and Cohen explain that by not underestimating complacency, fear of change, and anger one can increase urgency.  They also demonstrate through a story that constantly looking for a cheap and easy way to reduce complacency can help increase urgency in an organization.  In step 1, Kotter and Cohen also give examples of issues that will not increase urgency.  Going directly to creating a vision (step2) and strategy can lead to failure.  Focusing on getting top management approval for building a good case for change in business while ignoring all other parties involved input can also cause a lack of urgency.  Kotter and Cohen believes that thinking one can not contribute because they are not in charge can also lead to a lack of urgency.