“The heart of change is in the emotions”. John P. Kotter
Traditional approaches to leading change focus on presenting rational arguments and data to persuade people to change.
However, in the book “The Heart of Change” John Kotter and Dan Cohen argue that this approach, when used alone, often fails because it neglects the emotional side of human behavior.
Here are a few take-a-ways from the book:
✅ Successful change leaders understand that people need to feel motivated and emotionally connected to the change initiative for it to succeed.
✅ Stories are a powerful tool for conveying the need for change, illustrating the vision of the future, and helping employees relate to the transformation on a personal level.
✅ Change should not be seen as a purely rational process but should also engage employees on an emotional level.
✅ The goal is to help leaders understand and address resistance rather than assigning blame.
What’s your approach to change? Rational, facts, and data driven?
↪ Try adding more focus to the emotional side of human behavior.