In his book Leading Change, John Kotter listed “Establish a sense of urgency” as step #1 of 8 on the path to change. Daryl Conner introduced the metaphor of the burning platform in Managing at the Speed of Change.
Both classic change management books agree; if you want people to move somewhere else, you need to make their current position incredibly uncomfortable. Make the choice to stay unfathomable. Let them know the status quo is not sustainable. Give people a reason to change.
In the Influence Change at Workâ„¢ Toolkit, the first step on the path to change is to clarify the current reality of the organization and the change you want to implement. If you want to create a map to get somewhere else, you need to start by figuring out where you are — and what you need to move away from.
How might you establish a sense of urgency?
Read more of the 99 Ways to Influence Change.