Synopses & Reviews
Most of the denizens of the Antarctic penguin colony sneer at Fred, the quiet but observant scout who detects worrying signs that their home, an iceberg, is melting. Fred must cleverly convince and enlist key players, such as Louis, the head penguin; Alice, the number two bird; the intractable NoNo the weather expert; and a passle of school-age penguins if he is to save the colony.Their delightfully told journey illuminates in an unforgettable way how to manage the necessary change that surrounds us all. Simple explanatory material following the fable enhances the lasting value of these lessons.Our Iceberg Is Melting is at once charming, accessible and profound; a treat for virtually any reader. John Kotter has been on the faculty at Harvard Business School since 1972. He is the author of eleven award-winning titles and frequently gives speeches and seminars at Harvard and around the world. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Holger Rathgeber spent his early professional career in Asia. He has worked in industry since the early 1990's and is now with one of the leading medical technology companies, Bectom Dickinson. Raised in Frankfurt, Germany, Rathgeber currently resides in White Plains, New York. Our Iceberg is Melting is a simple fable about doing well in an ever-changing world. Based on the work of Harvard's John Kotter, it is a story that has been used to help many people and organizations. The fable is about a penguin colony in Antarctica. A group of emperor penguins live as they have for many years. Then one curious bird discovers a potentially devastating problem threatening their home--and pretty much no one listens to him. The characters in the story, Fred, Alice, Louis, Buddy, the Professor, and NoNo, are like people we recognize--even ourselves. Their tale is one of resistance to change and heroic action; seemingly intractable obstacles; and the most clever tactics for dealing with those obstacles. It is a story that is occurring in different forms all around us today--but the penguins handle the very real challenges a great deal better than most of us. Our Iceberg is Melting is based on pioneering work that shows how Eight Steps produce needed change in any sort of group. It is a story that can be enjoyed by anyone, while at the same time providing invaluable guidance for a world that just keeps moving faster and faster. I came across Our Iceberg is Melting in May, ordered and distributed 60 copies in June, evaluated its effect on our change effort, and then ordered 500 more copies in September. This is a gem.--Heidi King, Program Manager, Department of Defense I came across Our Iceberg is Melting in May, ordered and distributed 60 copies in June, evaluated its effect on our change effort, and then ordered 500 more copies in September. This is a gem.--Heidi King, Program Manager, Department of Defense As a result of the book and my sharing it with a few people in the organization, we have moved quickly on several fronts. We are galvanized to go ahead instead of further studying, more organizing and so on. It is making a difference for us.--Tom Curley, President and CEO, Associated Press This is the easiest to read yet most informative book I have ever seen. Setting one of management's biggest challenges, --'What problem, I don't see a problem, '--in the context of a melting iceberg and a determined penguin, was a stroke of sheer genius.--Michael Dimelow, Director of Product Marketing, TTP Communications PLC
Review
"This is the easiest to read yet most informative book I have ever seen. Setting one of management's biggest challenges, 'what problem, I don't see a problem,' in the context of a melting iceberg and a determined penguin, was a stroke of sheer genius."
--Michael Dimelow, Director of Product Marketing, TTP Communications
"I came across Our Iceberg is Melting in May, ordered and distributed 60 copies in June, evaluated its effect on our change effort, and then ordered 500 more copies in September. This is a gem."--Heidi King, Program Manager, Dept. of Defense
Review
Penguins illustrate how to conquer changeBy Michelle Archer,
for USA TODAY At first glance,
Our Iceberg Is Melting seems easy to dismiss as an attempt to fuse a few hot topics -- global warming, marching penguins -- into a
Who Moved My Cheese? fable-as-business-lesson best seller.
But this penguin parable has a pedigree in the form of Harvard Business School's John Kotter, author of Leading Change, the 1996 business guide that also sported our flat-footed, feathered friends on the cover. The Heart of Change was his 2002 follow-up. This time out, Kotter moves the penguins inside, using how a colony of them copes with a potential catastrophe -- yes, their iceberg is melting -- to illustrate his eight-step process of successful change. Their story is short and peppered with the personalities organizations inevitably include: the naysayers and nitpickers, the innovators and agitators, the leaders and followers. The idea is that everyone in a group must play a role in navigating change. In that vein, Kotter and co-author Holger Rathgeber write that their goal is to use a good story with visual stimuli (full-color, cartoon-like illustrations) to influence a broad range of people to better handle change and produce results. In other words, companies should buy a copy for everyone from the CEO to the stock clerk. This approach paid off for Spencer Johnson of Who Moved My Cheese?, who writes the foreword. Kotter's process advocates quick action to confront issues, group thinking and the buy-in of the whole organization. The goal: replace old habits with new behaviors and make them stick. Whether you're a fan of lowest-common-denominator reading or not, there's no denying the logic behind Kotter's steps and the at-times clever way they are woven into the penguins' journey.
Synopsis
Bestselling author Kotter teams with technology executive Holger Rathgeber to create an irresistible and provocative fable about change through the story of a penguin colony.
Synopsis
Most of the denizens of the Antarctic penguin colony sneer at Fred, the quiet but observant scout who detects worrying signs that their home, an iceberg, is melting. Fred must cleverly convince and enlist key players, such as Louis, the head penguin; Alice, the number two bird; the intractable weather expert, NoNo; and a passel of school-age penguins, if he is to save the colony.
Their delightfully told journey illuminates in an unforgettable way how to manage the necessary change that surrounds us all. Simple explanatory material following the fable enhances the lasting value of these lessons. Our Iceberg is Melting is at once charming, accessible and profound—a treat for virtually any listener.
Synopsis
A charming group of penguins confront change in this life-changing parable
Synopsis
Most of the denizens of the Antarctic penguin colony sneer at Fred, the quiet but observant scout who detects worrying signs that their home, an iceberg, is melting. Fred must cleverly convince and enlist key players, such as Louis, the head penguin; Alice, the number two bird; the intractable NoNo the weather expert; and a passle of school-age penguins if he is to save the colony.Their delightfully told journey illuminates in an unforgettable way how to manage the necessary change that surrounds us all. Simple explanatory material following the fable enhances the lasting value of these lessons.Our Iceberg Is Melting is at once charming, accessible and profound; a treat for virtually any reader.
Synopsis
"I came across Our ICEBERG IS MELTING in May, ordered and dsitributed 60 copies in June, evaluated its effect on our change effort, and then ordered 500 more copies in September. This is a gem." -- Heidi King, Program Manager, Dept. of Defense "As a result of the book and my sharing it with a few people in the organization, we have moved quickly on several fronts. We are galvanized to go ahead instead of further studying, more organizing and so on. It is making a difference for us." -- Tom Curley, President and CEO, Associated Press "This is the easiest to read yet most informative book I have ever seen. Setting one of management's biggest challenges, 'what problem, I don't see a problem,' in the context of a melting iceberg and a determined penguin, was a stroke of sheer genius."-- Michael Dimelow, Director of Product Marketing, TTP Communications PLC
Synopsis
Dr. Peter Fuda answers the question: what makes certain leaders so much more successful than others? After studying CEOs who had dramatically succeeded at transforming themselves, their leadership teams, and their organizations, he outlines seven leadership metaphors that can create significant, lasting improvements in any organization.
Synopsis
How does a good manager become a great leader? Ask around in business circles and youand#8217;ll get a thousand different answers. But now, internationally renowned leadership expert Dr. Peter Fuda has created a single, coherent roadmap for leadership effectiveness in
Leadership Transformed.and#160;
After more than a decadeand#8217;s research and practice, Dr. Fuda shares the seven common themes that have enabled hundreds of CEOs around the world to transform themselves into highly effective leaders, and transform the performance of their organizations as well. Through his work, Dr. Fuda discovered that the best way to elicit deep and broad discussion of the seven leadership themesand#8212;and to describe the CEOsand#8217; mastery of what they had learnedand#8212;was through metaphor.
and#160;
Fireand#8212;motivational forces that initiate and sustain transformation efforts.
and#160;
Snowballand#8212;mutual accountability, and the consequent momentum that occurs when a critical mass of leaders commit to shared leadership principles.
and#160;
Master Chefand#8212;leadership frameworks, tools, and strategies that can be and#8220;artfullyand#8221; deployed.
and#160;
Coachand#8212;how a and#8220;coaching staffand#8221; can collectively help leaders achieve their aspirations.
and#160;
Maskand#8212;leaders can shed the heavy burden of wearing a mask in favor of a more congruent and#8220;best self.and#8221;
and#160;
Movieand#8212;leaders can develop critical capabilities of self-awareness and reflection.
and#160;
Russian Dollsand#8212;how a leaderand#8217;s personal journey can align with the journeys of his or her colleagues and organization.
About the Author
John P. Kotter, world-renowned expert on leadership, is the author of many books, including Leading Change and The Heart of Change. He is the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School, and a graduate of MIT and Harvard. He is co-founder of Kotter International, a leadership organization that helps Global 5000 company leaders develop the skills to lead change. He and his wife Nancy live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Holger Rathgeber spent his early professional career in Asia. He has worked in industry since the early 1990's and is now with one of the leading medical technology companies, Bectom Dickinson. Raised in Frankfurt, Germany, Rathgeber currently resides in White Plains, New York.