The World's Best Book Summaries
What is step 1 in John Kotter’s 8-step model? Why is it important do develop a sense of urgency when initiating change in a company? In his book Leading Change, John Kotter says a sense of urgency is a crucial first step to change because nothing will change if your employees don’t feel it is necessary. Complacency is the first hurdle you must get over if you want to initiate change. Here is John Kotter’s step 1 in his 8-step model for change.
Are you thinking of reading Rachel Hollis’s book Girl, Stop Apologizing? Does the book live up to all of the hype? In her book Girl, Stop Apologizing, Hollis takes you one by one through all of the excuses that are holding you back. She lists the behaviors that you must be willing to change in order to succeed, and the skills that will help you along the way. Continue for our Girl, Stop Apologizing review.
Where does the idea of “nationalism” stem from? What is Benedict Anderson’s theory of nationalism? According to Benedict Anderson, the author of Imagined Communities, the nation is simply a social construct. It has no biological or historical basis. Continue reading for Anderson’s nationalism theory.
What does John Kotter mean by “guiding coalition”? Why should you avoid forming a change committee to lead organizational change? Step 2 in John Kotter’s 8-step change model says to create a guiding coalition. This means that you must create a group of impactful change leaders rather than relying on a single person to lead the change. This will convince the rest of your employees to follow the changes. Continue below for more on step 2 of Kotter’s change model.
How did language and literacy impact the growth of nationalism? What indirect impact did the advent of the printing press have on nationalism? According to Benedict Anderson’s theory, nationalism is a modern and “unnatural” social construct that quickly expanded after the rise in literacy. Language and nationalism are connected because one of the primary bonds that link strangers is their shared language. Continue reading for more on the link between language and the rise of nationalism.
How much do your friendships affect your life? Can a negative influence or unsupportive person really bring you down? In her bestselling book Girl, Stop Apologizing, Rachel Hollis says that the people you spend your time with (your community) mold who you are. Hollis talks about the importance of having a community and how to know when it’s time to cut off toxic people. Here is why your community matters so much.
What is a leadership vision statement? Why is making a vision statement an important step in leading change in your company? In John Kotter’s book Leading Change, he stresses the importance of creating a vision statement when leading change. This is important because it allows you to articulate the ultimate vision of the change and connects all your employees towards a singular purpose. Continue below to learn how to create a vision statement.
How did nationalism arise in Europe? What were the key factors that have led to its development? It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that Europe started to feel its own form of national pride—part of this was thanks to the Enlightenment. Another contributing factor was the realization that Latin wasn’t the “superior” language and that there were, in fact, many ancient languages in the world. Keep reading to learn more about the making of nationalism in Europe.
How can you effectively communicate your vision of change to your employees? What things should you avoid when you’re communicating the vision? According to Kotter, once you’ve developed a sense of urgency, assembled a credible and empowered coalition to lead the change effort, and articulated a clear vision that can anchor every decision and action taken within the organization, you’re ready to sell the change project to the broader organization. Continue below for tips on how to communicate your vision for change.
What does it mean to redirect children’s behavior? What three strategies can you use to teach your child to behave appropriately? The book No-Drama Discipline explains the three steps to properly discipline your child. Step three is all about teaching (or redirecting) your child’s behavior. The authors provide three methods for doing this: notice—don’t criticize, create a dialogue, and try a conditional “yes.” Here is how to teach your child to follow the rules.