The process of change
Sitting on my shelves I have dozens of books that are supposed to tell me how to create visions of change, how to set change goals, how to begin change, how to manage change, and so on (and on and on). I've tried most of these plans with a view to producing smooth, successful, and rapid metrication changes, but only with mixed success. None of my "change books" provided me with a complete change process that was worth recommending.
That was until I discovered the work of John P. Kotter.
John P. Kotter is a Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School. He is considered to be the foremost authority on leadership and change in the world. But better than this he and his team of co-writers obviously believe in the change processes they recommend.
They write in a clear and open way that makes it easy for you to adapt and adopt their recommendations to fit your own situation. These books are more inclined to use stories, true stories and even parables, to inform us how to plan and conduct successful changes, rather than taking an approach used (too often) in academic texts.
John P. Kotter has actually studied practical changes in companies, industries, and governments for about as long as I have studied the metrication process. John knows what works and what doesn't work in all sorts of change processes, so I am confident in recommending his books to you as you plan the metrication processes for your community.
As you know, if you buy any of these books through this web page you will be supporting the activities of "Metrication matters", but that is only partly why I am doing it this way. I am using the Amazon web site to highlight my recommendations because you will then have access to many reviews, and will get other people's opinions before you buy any of these books.
I have read several books by John P. Kotter. I read them in this order:
Our iceberg is melting
I read this in under two hours – then I read it again.
The Heart of Change
Here you will find stories about successful changes that will inspire you.
I keep this near me to read heart warming stories about successful change processes.
I just pick it up and open it at random.
Buy in
This step by step guide to running a meeting to introduce and gain acceptance – Buy in – for a any good idea in any organisation.
This book has altered my thinking about meeting planning forever.
After I read Buy in I went to John Kotter's home page at http://www.kotterinternational.com
There I could view the additional resources he freely provides.
Don't miss the videos!
A sense of Urgency
John Kotter maintains that successful change processes begin with a sense of urgency.
Leading change
This is the book that provides the formal basis for the eminently practical advice you find in Kotter's other books.
John P. Kotter has written many other books but those that I have selected here seem to me to be the ones that have most immediate use to a metrication leader.
However, if you are inspired by these books you can explore further here:
