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A Sense of Urgency
Most organizational change initiatives fail spectacularly (at worst) or deliver lukewarm results (at best). In his international bestseller Leading Change, John Kotter revealed why change is so hard, and provided an actionable, eight-step process for implementing successful transformations. The book became the change bible for managers worldwide.
Now, in A Sense of Urgency, Kotter shines the spotlight on the crucial first step in his framework: creating a sense of urgency by getting people to actually see and feel the need for change.
Why focus on urgency? Without it, any change effort is doomed. Kotter reveals the insidious nature of complacency in all its forms and guises.
In this exciting new book, Kotter explains:
· How to go beyond "the business case" for change to overcome the fear and anger that can suppress urgency
· Ways to ensure that your actions and behaviors -- not just your words -- communicate the need for change
· How to keep fanning the flames of urgency even after your transformation effort has scored some early successes
Written in Kotter's signature no-nonsense style, this concise and authoritative guide helps you set the stage for leading a successful transformation in your company.
Now, in A Sense of Urgency, Kotter shines the spotlight on the crucial first step in his framework: creating a sense of urgency by getting people to actually see and feel the need for change.
Why focus on urgency? Without it, any change effort is doomed. Kotter reveals the insidious nature of complacency in all its forms and guises.
In this exciting new book, Kotter explains:
· How to go beyond "the business case" for change to overcome the fear and anger that can suppress urgency
· Ways to ensure that your actions and behaviors -- not just your words -- communicate the need for change
· How to keep fanning the flames of urgency even after your transformation effort has scored some early successes
Written in Kotter's signature no-nonsense style, this concise and authoritative guide helps you set the stage for leading a successful transformation in your company.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
264 people are currently reading
2626 people want to read
About the author
John P. Kotter
130 books498 followersJohn P. Kotter, world-renowned expert on leadership, is the author of many books, including Leading Change, Our Iceberg is Melting, The Heart of Change, and his latest book, That's Not How We Do It Here!. 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 change management and strategy execution firm that helps organizations engage employees in a movement to drive change and reach sustainable results. He and his wife Nancy live in Boston, Massachusetts.
http://www.kotterinternational.com/ab...
http://www.kotterinternational.com/ab...
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 151 reviews
June 6, 2017
Fluffy. Probably would have been better as a HBR article or two.
Leading Change
felt like it had more substantial content. In A Sense of Urgency, Kotter does clarify that the opposite of a sense of (true) urgency is not always complacency: Sometimes, organizations are beset by false urgency, which manifests as frenetic activity without producing any real movement. True urgency means always asking, "What can be done right now to move the work forward?" This does not always mean that every action will happen immediately—some things have to take time, but "urgent patience" means taking whatever first step can be taken today or this week to move toward the long-term goal. For fostering a sense of urgency, Kotter recommends modeling (e.g., ending meetings by telling others what you will do in the next seven days to move the work forward and asking them what they will do) and communicating both successes and threats in the context of a call to action (i.e., "Let's celebrate this win we just had, but remember that we haven't made it over the mountain yet!" and "This challenge seems daunting, but if we pull together, we can overcome!").
August 20, 2022
A Sense of Urgency
is my fourth and final recommendation for Best Business Books of 2008. The other three were as follows:
~ What Got You Here Won't Get You There
~ Never Eat Alone
~ Launching a Leadership Revolution
One of the author's earlier efforts was the fable Our Iceberg is Melting. A Sense of Urgency provides substance to this fable.
Creating a sense of urgency is the first of eight steps that leaders in any organization need to master in order to improve business operations. John Kotter provides a masterful game plan.
True urgency focuses on critical issues and is driven by a deep determination to win. A false sense of urgency, prevalent in many workplaces, is characterized by people mistaking activity for productivity. This is a timely distinction given the current economic climate.
The author describes a strategy and four sets of tactics for increasing a true sense of urgency. The strategy can best be summarized as a "constant purging low value-added activities."
Kotter then proceeds to outline four tactics that business leaders can use to help ensure that urgency is routinely introduced and maintained in the workplace.
The natural order of the workplace is "urgency leads to success which leads to complacency which kills a sense of urgency." If your organization is not constantly purging low value-added activities during the current economic downturn, then perhaps A Sense of Urgency is in order.
Access Gene Babon's reviews of books on Business Leadership and Business Strategy at Pinterest.
~ What Got You Here Won't Get You There
~ Never Eat Alone
~ Launching a Leadership Revolution
One of the author's earlier efforts was the fable Our Iceberg is Melting. A Sense of Urgency provides substance to this fable.
Creating a sense of urgency is the first of eight steps that leaders in any organization need to master in order to improve business operations. John Kotter provides a masterful game plan.
True urgency focuses on critical issues and is driven by a deep determination to win. A false sense of urgency, prevalent in many workplaces, is characterized by people mistaking activity for productivity. This is a timely distinction given the current economic climate.
The author describes a strategy and four sets of tactics for increasing a true sense of urgency. The strategy can best be summarized as a "constant purging low value-added activities."
Kotter then proceeds to outline four tactics that business leaders can use to help ensure that urgency is routinely introduced and maintained in the workplace.
The natural order of the workplace is "urgency leads to success which leads to complacency which kills a sense of urgency." If your organization is not constantly purging low value-added activities during the current economic downturn, then perhaps A Sense of Urgency is in order.
Access Gene Babon's reviews of books on Business Leadership and Business Strategy at Pinterest.
March 22, 2016
simple steps, good stories to illustrate the lessons. tactic 2 "behave with urgency everyday" was the one I responded to most
January 13, 2021
Oh dear... repeating a word (urgency in this case) throughout a book does not make it clear what is meant or what the reader is meant to do. The author uses a story to explain that stories are better than facts, and promptly makes all his stories / examples non-specific, (anonymized) and hence worse than useless.
The author also includes examples which would definitely result in the reader falling fouling of any anti-bullying policy in almost any company in the world, and could certainly lay a business open to constructive dismissal cases... and if one example or (anonymized) antecdote is wrong, it significantly impacts my wish to engage with the other stories.
And, finally, a book whose aim is to impart a sense of urgency (not defined throughout!!) it's not written in a way that allows quick reading and understanding. Far to academic and definitely not up to the standard of 'Our Iceberg is Melting'. Clearly Kotter's co-author on that story was the main driving force in making it accessible to a human who resides outside academia!
The author also includes examples which would definitely result in the reader falling fouling of any anti-bullying policy in almost any company in the world, and could certainly lay a business open to constructive dismissal cases... and if one example or (anonymized) antecdote is wrong, it significantly impacts my wish to engage with the other stories.
And, finally, a book whose aim is to impart a sense of urgency (not defined throughout!!) it's not written in a way that allows quick reading and understanding. Far to academic and definitely not up to the standard of 'Our Iceberg is Melting'. Clearly Kotter's co-author on that story was the main driving force in making it accessible to a human who resides outside academia!
June 11, 2013
A SENSE OF URGENCY BY JOHN KOTTER
SUMMARY
True urgency focuses on critical issues. It is driven by the deep determination to win, not anxiety about losing. Many people confuse it with false urgency. This misguided sense of urgency does have energized action, but it has a frantic aspect to it with people driven by anxiety and fear. This dysfunctional orientation prevents people from exploiting opportunities and addressing real issues.
A big reason that a true sense of urgency is rare is that it’s not a natural state of affairs. It has to be created and recreated. In organizations that have survived for a significant period of time, complacency is more likely the norm. Even in organizations that are clearly experiencing serious problems, devastating problems, business-as-usual can survive.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE EPISODIC AND CONTINUOUS CHANGE
Episodic change requires urgency in spurts. The urgency must be there to sustain the sprint. Episodic change revolves around a single big issue such as:
• Major restructuring
• New product launch
• Acquisition
• IT integration
• Growing revenue
Continuous change is a ceaseless flow of change. It's a marathon. Becoming adept at change must be an asset of the company to succeed for the long term.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE URGENT BEHAVIOR
Urgent behavior is not driven by a belief that all is well, or that everything is a mess but instead, that the world contains great opportunities and great hazards. Even more so, urgent action is not created by feelings of contentment, anxiety, frustration, or anger, but by a gut-level determination to move and win, now. These feelings quite naturally lead to behavior in which people are alert and proactive, in which they constantly scan the environment around them, both inside and outside their organizations, looking for information relevant to success and survival. With complacency or false urgency, people look inward, not out, and they miss what is essential for prosperity.
With a real sense of urgency, when people see an opportunity or a problem of significance to their organization, and others don’t, they quite naturally search for effective ways to get the information to the right individual — right away — not when they are next scheduled to meet with him or her next month. With a true sense of urgency, people want to come to work each day ready to cooperate energetically and responsively with intelligent initiatives from others. And they do. People want to find ways to launch smart initiatives. And they do.
A real sense of urgency is a highly positive and highly focused force. Because it naturally directs you to be truly alert to what’s really happening, it rarely leads to a race to deal with the trivial, to pursue pet projects of minor significance to the larger organization, or to tackle important issues in uninformed, potentially dangerous ways.
• A "want-to" attitude
• A gut-level determination to move, and win, now
• People are alert and proactive, constantly looking for information relevant to success and survival
• When faced with a problem, people search for effective ways to get the information to the right individual, now
• People come to work each day ready to cooperate energetically
True urgency is not the product of historical successes or current failures but the result of people who provide the leadership needed to create it. A real sense of urgency is rare, much rarer than most people seem to think, yet it is invaluable in a world that will not stand still.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE COMPLACENCY
Complacency almost always comes from success, and lives long after that success has disappeared. While a sluggishness or arrogance may be clearly apparent to an outsider, complacent insiders don’t have that perspective. While they may admit there are challenges, they'll tell you the problems are over there in that other person’s department.
Complacency is a feeling of self-satisfaction. Content with the status quo, organizations and individuals that are complacent do not look for new opportunities or hazards on the horizon, instead they are almost always internally focused. They rarely initiate or lead, working at a constant speed even when circumstances call for fast action. We have all seen it, yet we underestimate its prevalence and its power. Highly destructive complacency is, in fact, all around us.
• Are discussions inward focused and not about markets, emerging technology, competitors, etc.?
• Is candor lacking in confronting bureaucracy and politics that are slowing things down?
• Do people regularly blame others for problems instead of taking responsibility?
• Are failures of the past discussed not to learn, but to stall new initiatives?
• Are assignments around critical issues regularly not completed on time or with sufficient quality?
• Do cynical jokes undermine important discussions?
• Are highly selective facts used to shoot down data that suggests there is a big hazard or opportunity?
• Do meetings on key issues end with no decisions about what must happen immediately (except the scheduling of the next meeting)?
• Are critical issues delegated without the involvement of key people?
• Does passive aggression exist around big issues?
• Do people say, “we must act now”, but then don’t act?
HOW TO RECOGNIZE FALSE URGENCY
Far too often, managers are satisfied when they see lots of energetic activity: people running from meeting to meeting, preparing endless presentations, meetings with agendas containing long lists of activities. More often than not, this flurry of behavior is driven by pressures that create anxiety. The resulting frantic activity is more distracting than useful. This is a false sense of urgency. It can be even more destructive than complacency because it drains precious energy spent in circular activity — energy that should be directed toward productivity.
Since people often mistake this running-around for a real sense of urgency, many times they actually try to create it. The frustrated boss screams, “Execute!” His employees scramble: sprinting, meeting, task-forcing, e-mailing — all of which creates a howling wind of activity. But that’s all it is, a howling wind or, worse yet, a tornado that destroys much and builds nothing.
• Do people have trouble scheduling meetings on important initiatives
• Because they are too busy?
• Are critical issues delegated without the involvement of key people?
• Do people spend long hours developing power points on almost anything?
• Do people regularly blame others for problems instead of taking responsibility?
• Are failures of the past discussed not to learn, but to stall new initiatives?
• Are assignments around critical issues regularly not completed on time or with sufficient quality?
• Are highly selective facts used to shoot down data that suggests there is a big hazard or opportunity?
• Do meetings on key issues end with no decisions about what must happen immediately (except the scheduling of the next meeting)?
• Does passive aggression exist around big issues?
• Do people say, “we must act now,” but then don’t act?
• Do cynical jokes undermine important discussions?
• Do people run from meeting to meeting exhausting themselves and rarely focusing on the most critical hazards or opportunities?
SUMMARY
True urgency focuses on critical issues. It is driven by the deep determination to win, not anxiety about losing. Many people confuse it with false urgency. This misguided sense of urgency does have energized action, but it has a frantic aspect to it with people driven by anxiety and fear. This dysfunctional orientation prevents people from exploiting opportunities and addressing real issues.
A big reason that a true sense of urgency is rare is that it’s not a natural state of affairs. It has to be created and recreated. In organizations that have survived for a significant period of time, complacency is more likely the norm. Even in organizations that are clearly experiencing serious problems, devastating problems, business-as-usual can survive.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE EPISODIC AND CONTINUOUS CHANGE
Episodic change requires urgency in spurts. The urgency must be there to sustain the sprint. Episodic change revolves around a single big issue such as:
• Major restructuring
• New product launch
• Acquisition
• IT integration
• Growing revenue
Continuous change is a ceaseless flow of change. It's a marathon. Becoming adept at change must be an asset of the company to succeed for the long term.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE URGENT BEHAVIOR
Urgent behavior is not driven by a belief that all is well, or that everything is a mess but instead, that the world contains great opportunities and great hazards. Even more so, urgent action is not created by feelings of contentment, anxiety, frustration, or anger, but by a gut-level determination to move and win, now. These feelings quite naturally lead to behavior in which people are alert and proactive, in which they constantly scan the environment around them, both inside and outside their organizations, looking for information relevant to success and survival. With complacency or false urgency, people look inward, not out, and they miss what is essential for prosperity.
With a real sense of urgency, when people see an opportunity or a problem of significance to their organization, and others don’t, they quite naturally search for effective ways to get the information to the right individual — right away — not when they are next scheduled to meet with him or her next month. With a true sense of urgency, people want to come to work each day ready to cooperate energetically and responsively with intelligent initiatives from others. And they do. People want to find ways to launch smart initiatives. And they do.
A real sense of urgency is a highly positive and highly focused force. Because it naturally directs you to be truly alert to what’s really happening, it rarely leads to a race to deal with the trivial, to pursue pet projects of minor significance to the larger organization, or to tackle important issues in uninformed, potentially dangerous ways.
• A "want-to" attitude
• A gut-level determination to move, and win, now
• People are alert and proactive, constantly looking for information relevant to success and survival
• When faced with a problem, people search for effective ways to get the information to the right individual, now
• People come to work each day ready to cooperate energetically
True urgency is not the product of historical successes or current failures but the result of people who provide the leadership needed to create it. A real sense of urgency is rare, much rarer than most people seem to think, yet it is invaluable in a world that will not stand still.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE COMPLACENCY
Complacency almost always comes from success, and lives long after that success has disappeared. While a sluggishness or arrogance may be clearly apparent to an outsider, complacent insiders don’t have that perspective. While they may admit there are challenges, they'll tell you the problems are over there in that other person’s department.
Complacency is a feeling of self-satisfaction. Content with the status quo, organizations and individuals that are complacent do not look for new opportunities or hazards on the horizon, instead they are almost always internally focused. They rarely initiate or lead, working at a constant speed even when circumstances call for fast action. We have all seen it, yet we underestimate its prevalence and its power. Highly destructive complacency is, in fact, all around us.
• Are discussions inward focused and not about markets, emerging technology, competitors, etc.?
• Is candor lacking in confronting bureaucracy and politics that are slowing things down?
• Do people regularly blame others for problems instead of taking responsibility?
• Are failures of the past discussed not to learn, but to stall new initiatives?
• Are assignments around critical issues regularly not completed on time or with sufficient quality?
• Do cynical jokes undermine important discussions?
• Are highly selective facts used to shoot down data that suggests there is a big hazard or opportunity?
• Do meetings on key issues end with no decisions about what must happen immediately (except the scheduling of the next meeting)?
• Are critical issues delegated without the involvement of key people?
• Does passive aggression exist around big issues?
• Do people say, “we must act now”, but then don’t act?
HOW TO RECOGNIZE FALSE URGENCY
Far too often, managers are satisfied when they see lots of energetic activity: people running from meeting to meeting, preparing endless presentations, meetings with agendas containing long lists of activities. More often than not, this flurry of behavior is driven by pressures that create anxiety. The resulting frantic activity is more distracting than useful. This is a false sense of urgency. It can be even more destructive than complacency because it drains precious energy spent in circular activity — energy that should be directed toward productivity.
Since people often mistake this running-around for a real sense of urgency, many times they actually try to create it. The frustrated boss screams, “Execute!” His employees scramble: sprinting, meeting, task-forcing, e-mailing — all of which creates a howling wind of activity. But that’s all it is, a howling wind or, worse yet, a tornado that destroys much and builds nothing.
• Do people have trouble scheduling meetings on important initiatives
• Because they are too busy?
• Are critical issues delegated without the involvement of key people?
• Do people spend long hours developing power points on almost anything?
• Do people regularly blame others for problems instead of taking responsibility?
• Are failures of the past discussed not to learn, but to stall new initiatives?
• Are assignments around critical issues regularly not completed on time or with sufficient quality?
• Are highly selective facts used to shoot down data that suggests there is a big hazard or opportunity?
• Do meetings on key issues end with no decisions about what must happen immediately (except the scheduling of the next meeting)?
• Does passive aggression exist around big issues?
• Do people say, “we must act now,” but then don’t act?
• Do cynical jokes undermine important discussions?
• Do people run from meeting to meeting exhausting themselves and rarely focusing on the most critical hazards or opportunities?
August 27, 2022
I have read many of professor Kotter's works and am continuously impressed with what he and his colleagues are able to put together in the change management arena.
Although I am more fond of his parables, his nonfiction works all support what I have personally observed in my 30 plus years in industry. A sense of urgency is a prime example of one of those texts.
The professor not only describes why we need a sense of urgency to drive change, but he describes how to do it successfully. He warns us against not creating false senses of urgency. Which I've observed if everything is urgent, nothing becomes urgent.
An example in my personal life.. I have known for some time that I needed to lose weight. It was not until I turned 50 and hip arthritis as well as rising blood pressure elevated the urgency on actually doing and sustaining this.
When I think about what has made me successful in the continuous improvement world is my ability to drive the sense of urgency for the projects we were working on. Additionally this is something I have coached my younger continuous improvement engineers on. I never called it urgency, or thought of it as urgency, but that's truly what it has been.
Although I am more fond of his parables, his nonfiction works all support what I have personally observed in my 30 plus years in industry. A sense of urgency is a prime example of one of those texts.
The professor not only describes why we need a sense of urgency to drive change, but he describes how to do it successfully. He warns us against not creating false senses of urgency. Which I've observed if everything is urgent, nothing becomes urgent.
An example in my personal life.. I have known for some time that I needed to lose weight. It was not until I turned 50 and hip arthritis as well as rising blood pressure elevated the urgency on actually doing and sustaining this.
When I think about what has made me successful in the continuous improvement world is my ability to drive the sense of urgency for the projects we were working on. Additionally this is something I have coached my younger continuous improvement engineers on. I never called it urgency, or thought of it as urgency, but that's truly what it has been.
Read
October 11, 2018I appreciate that the writing in this book was organized and clear, it made for an easier time to flip back and forth between higher level structure and immersed in the later chapters detailing significance of the tactic described. It was a pretty straightforward read.
I liked the advice to the reader about not getting confused with similar looking behaviors, as true sense of urgency should provide relief rather than anxiety if proper actions are taken to resolve matters. I also like the multiple example described on reiterating the point to not become someone resting on laurels, that culture and holistic awareness and self-awareness is something to cultivate regularly.
After finishing this book I feel inspired to peruse other books by this author. Perhaps there's a book on another principle that the author pointed out to be critical and goes hand and hand with a sense of urgency - communication.
I liked the advice to the reader about not getting confused with similar looking behaviors, as true sense of urgency should provide relief rather than anxiety if proper actions are taken to resolve matters. I also like the multiple example described on reiterating the point to not become someone resting on laurels, that culture and holistic awareness and self-awareness is something to cultivate regularly.
After finishing this book I feel inspired to peruse other books by this author. Perhaps there's a book on another principle that the author pointed out to be critical and goes hand and hand with a sense of urgency - communication.
January 6, 2025
Great concept! I am challenged to find ways to increase a sense of urgency in my organization in order to drive success. Kotter provides some practical ways to help do so.
October 9, 2018
Very long-winded way of emphasizing the importance of having a sense of urgency, and the repercussions of not having a sense of urgency. Seems like a bunch of common sense (pardon the pun), or a duh, when it comes to the examples presented in the book. Not sure I could have read this cover to cover, so thankful this was an audio-book.
October 16, 2022
A sense of urgency was quick, useful read. I had never really thought about complacent or a general lack of urgency as a problem at my workplace before, but this helped put a word to what I've seen. Moreover, it provided a few good techniques for increasing the sense of urgency. I randomly saw this at the library, read it immediately after I got home (and took notes)! It helped generate so many ideas that I look forward to trying out at work and seeing the impact.
There were a lot of places that weren't super clear to me, like the difference between "true urgency" and "false urgency". It felt a lot like the No True Scotsman fallacy, or a reversal of cause/effect: "if it didn't help, it must have been false urgency". It was also very handwavey around the relation between planning, focus, and urgency. Many of the examples were along the lines of "urgent things can't be scheduled in the future" and "treat everything with urgency" - where does that leave the entire purpose of planning? They alluded to a way to sustainably move with urgency and avoid burnout, but didn't go into this sufficiently either.
There were a lot of places that weren't super clear to me, like the difference between "true urgency" and "false urgency". It felt a lot like the No True Scotsman fallacy, or a reversal of cause/effect: "if it didn't help, it must have been false urgency". It was also very handwavey around the relation between planning, focus, and urgency. Many of the examples were along the lines of "urgent things can't be scheduled in the future" and "treat everything with urgency" - where does that leave the entire purpose of planning? They alluded to a way to sustainably move with urgency and avoid burnout, but didn't go into this sufficiently either.
February 27, 2019
Good stuff from Kotter. My blog review: https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2013/...
May 3, 2019
It's a compact book with an important message for businesses: complacency kills growth, frantic actions can be devastating, but a sustained sense of urgency is critical in spurring long-term growth. It all makes sense, and Kotter supplies a lot of testimonials from anonymous businesses to support this argument. However, it felt like this book was made to be digestible for hurried types (urgent people, I suspect). There's enough to get a foothold in the concepts, like how complacency is natural after periods of success, and how thwarting a NoNo (an adversary of change) is more complicated than just trying to work around them. And yet, I felt myself wanting more.
First of all, his central argument is simply to have a sense of urgency for urgency's sake because it's vital to growth. If you work for a company you want to see succeed, it's critical that you find this urgency. He even talks about how to project-manage for it, to invite in risks and get people involved from every level of the company.
But for many, I think it's difficult to internalize that desire. Some people will act with urgency because they know their company and colleagues depend on it. People are inherently resistant to change. Skeptical. I think he could have tied it more to why change in and of itself is important. The world is always changing: the economy changes from day to day, we as humans change as we grow and start families, get jobs, retire, and ultimately die. Cultures change. Politics change History affects change. And if a business is going to be a significant cog to its customers and their environment, sitting still isn't just bad for your bottom line. It's an act of moving in reverse. There was space to make this case better, and maybe more personal.
But his ideas were enough to get me to identify things I never thought about before, like the harms of complacency, and the difference between urgency and misguided actions--even when he digs into how a crisis can be flipped into a source of motivation. I view my workplace a little different now, and that's more than enough to have an impact. But like personal self-help books, such as THE SECRET or MAKE YOUR BED, this book is more about igniting ideas to spark change in your life than it is about giving you a well-plotted map. It's intention is to get you to write your own map, and for people like me, that becomes more of a suggestion when what we really want is a prescription. Good read though. Quick, smart, and applicable literally to any business (or even nonprofit or government entities, really.)
First of all, his central argument is simply to have a sense of urgency for urgency's sake because it's vital to growth. If you work for a company you want to see succeed, it's critical that you find this urgency. He even talks about how to project-manage for it, to invite in risks and get people involved from every level of the company.
But for many, I think it's difficult to internalize that desire. Some people will act with urgency because they know their company and colleagues depend on it. People are inherently resistant to change. Skeptical. I think he could have tied it more to why change in and of itself is important. The world is always changing: the economy changes from day to day, we as humans change as we grow and start families, get jobs, retire, and ultimately die. Cultures change. Politics change History affects change. And if a business is going to be a significant cog to its customers and their environment, sitting still isn't just bad for your bottom line. It's an act of moving in reverse. There was space to make this case better, and maybe more personal.
But his ideas were enough to get me to identify things I never thought about before, like the harms of complacency, and the difference between urgency and misguided actions--even when he digs into how a crisis can be flipped into a source of motivation. I view my workplace a little different now, and that's more than enough to have an impact. But like personal self-help books, such as THE SECRET or MAKE YOUR BED, this book is more about igniting ideas to spark change in your life than it is about giving you a well-plotted map. It's intention is to get you to write your own map, and for people like me, that becomes more of a suggestion when what we really want is a prescription. Good read though. Quick, smart, and applicable literally to any business (or even nonprofit or government entities, really.)
March 4, 2021
A Sense of Urgency has been sitting on my bookshelf for several years. Although I had started it, I never finished it, as was evidenced by a receipt from 2018. After reading the book, I do wish that I had approached the topic somewhat more urgently.
To start, it’s important to make the distinction between many teams being aligned and moving forward with haste, which is acting with a sense of urgency, and teams running about with a frantic expenditure of unfocused energy. Frantic behavior doesn’t benefit the person, team, or organization, and it eventually leads to burnout. There is also complacency where it’s just business as usual regardless of any immediate crisis.
To accomplish a sense of urgency, there are four tactics. First, it’s important to look outward rather than inward, which means interacting with the customer as much as possible and sharing the information with all levels of the organization. Second, you must be consistent in your message on avoiding complacency. Third, you must harness the power of crises when they do arise, as they inevitably will regardless of the careful planning conducted. And lastly, it’s important to get rid of the negative naysayers who only want to support the status quo, no matter what.
Unfortunately, the book feels a little dated, and it proves necessary to look beyond this aspect. It also references larger organizations which tend to move more slowly than a smaller, hungrier startups too. Yet it’s succinct and on message.
To start, it’s important to make the distinction between many teams being aligned and moving forward with haste, which is acting with a sense of urgency, and teams running about with a frantic expenditure of unfocused energy. Frantic behavior doesn’t benefit the person, team, or organization, and it eventually leads to burnout. There is also complacency where it’s just business as usual regardless of any immediate crisis.
To accomplish a sense of urgency, there are four tactics. First, it’s important to look outward rather than inward, which means interacting with the customer as much as possible and sharing the information with all levels of the organization. Second, you must be consistent in your message on avoiding complacency. Third, you must harness the power of crises when they do arise, as they inevitably will regardless of the careful planning conducted. And lastly, it’s important to get rid of the negative naysayers who only want to support the status quo, no matter what.
Unfortunately, the book feels a little dated, and it proves necessary to look beyond this aspect. It also references larger organizations which tend to move more slowly than a smaller, hungrier startups too. Yet it’s succinct and on message.
May 15, 2025
This book had been on my reading list for several years—one that consistently piqued my curiosity and interest. Yet, for one reason or another, it was never the book I selected next, each time I faced that familiar decision (a choice I make roughly 25 times a year).
Given this long anticipation, the bar was set high by the time I finally picked it up in March 2025. I’m happy to say it not only met but exceeded my expectations.
This is one of the few business books I’ve read recently that I truly enjoyed. It resonated deeply with me—both in how it framed the context and in the practical value of the principles and recommendations it sets forth. Its lessons are highly applicable to day-to-day professional life and relevant across all types of organizations.
Kotter explores the persistent need for change that organizations must embrace in order to thrive—or even survive—in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Typically, “change” is addressed only in times of crisis, whether driven by internal dysfunction or significant external disruption. However, as Kotter aptly points out, the need for change is a constant. It must be proactively embraced, enabled, and managed to avoid or minimize the spread of what he calls the "complacency virus"—a condition that often stems from past successes and leads, sooner or later, to the very crises organizations hope to avoid.
To counteract this, Kotter argues that a true sense of urgency must be cultivated. This means more than just reacting to problems or appearing busy—it means eliminating both complacency and false urgency. The latter misdirects energy toward unproductive meetings and meaningless activity that generates motion without progress.
A genuine sense of urgency must be embedded in the everyday rhythm of the organization—not just activated during moments of survival. It includes:
A clear understanding of the organization’s risks, opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses.
A compelling plan to address these challenges and break free from the status quo.
A vision supported by an actionable strategy and effective tactics to build the necessary capabilities.
Relentless communication of that vision and strategy.
Empowerment of every individual to act within their sphere of influence.
The first step in this journey is recognizing and addressing complacency, which may already be deeply rooted in your organization. This involves identifying its sources, watching for red flags, and engaging in honest self-assessment. Kotter provides vivid examples that will likely resonate with your own experiences.
To instill real urgency, the author proposes one core strategy supported by four enabling tactics:
Strategy: Each organization must define its own strategy, grounded in solid analysis and ambitious yet logical goals. But this strategy must also stir emotions—winning hearts and minds. It should be uplifting, exciting, and personally meaningful. To achieve this, leaders must share key facts and construct a logical, emotionally compelling case that drives engagement.
The Four Tactics:
Bring the outside reality in—ensure external realities are part of every conversation.
Lead by example—demonstrate urgency in your own behavior.
Identify and seize opportunities that arise from crises.
Confront the “NoNos”—those persistent resistors—relentlessly.
For further insights and actionable takeaways, you’ll need to read the book yourself—which I strongly recommend.
This is a book I’ll keep in my “petit” library, as I know I’ll return to it time and again throughout my professional life.
Given this long anticipation, the bar was set high by the time I finally picked it up in March 2025. I’m happy to say it not only met but exceeded my expectations.
This is one of the few business books I’ve read recently that I truly enjoyed. It resonated deeply with me—both in how it framed the context and in the practical value of the principles and recommendations it sets forth. Its lessons are highly applicable to day-to-day professional life and relevant across all types of organizations.
Kotter explores the persistent need for change that organizations must embrace in order to thrive—or even survive—in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Typically, “change” is addressed only in times of crisis, whether driven by internal dysfunction or significant external disruption. However, as Kotter aptly points out, the need for change is a constant. It must be proactively embraced, enabled, and managed to avoid or minimize the spread of what he calls the "complacency virus"—a condition that often stems from past successes and leads, sooner or later, to the very crises organizations hope to avoid.
To counteract this, Kotter argues that a true sense of urgency must be cultivated. This means more than just reacting to problems or appearing busy—it means eliminating both complacency and false urgency. The latter misdirects energy toward unproductive meetings and meaningless activity that generates motion without progress.
A genuine sense of urgency must be embedded in the everyday rhythm of the organization—not just activated during moments of survival. It includes:
A clear understanding of the organization’s risks, opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses.
A compelling plan to address these challenges and break free from the status quo.
A vision supported by an actionable strategy and effective tactics to build the necessary capabilities.
Relentless communication of that vision and strategy.
Empowerment of every individual to act within their sphere of influence.
The first step in this journey is recognizing and addressing complacency, which may already be deeply rooted in your organization. This involves identifying its sources, watching for red flags, and engaging in honest self-assessment. Kotter provides vivid examples that will likely resonate with your own experiences.
To instill real urgency, the author proposes one core strategy supported by four enabling tactics:
Strategy: Each organization must define its own strategy, grounded in solid analysis and ambitious yet logical goals. But this strategy must also stir emotions—winning hearts and minds. It should be uplifting, exciting, and personally meaningful. To achieve this, leaders must share key facts and construct a logical, emotionally compelling case that drives engagement.
The Four Tactics:
Bring the outside reality in—ensure external realities are part of every conversation.
Lead by example—demonstrate urgency in your own behavior.
Identify and seize opportunities that arise from crises.
Confront the “NoNos”—those persistent resistors—relentlessly.
For further insights and actionable takeaways, you’ll need to read the book yourself—which I strongly recommend.
This is a book I’ll keep in my “petit” library, as I know I’ll return to it time and again throughout my professional life.
April 23, 2023
John Kotter is regarded as the leading authority on organizational change, and I was first introduced to his work through a business school class. Even though this book was published in 2008 (and contains some dated references to the Internet that made me giggle), it still holds water and remains super relevant today.
As Kotter explains, any successful business is bound to reach periods of complacency, and it is up to leaders to instill a sense of urgency in their organizations if they are to keep pace with change. I think most people know this, but what does “urgency” really mean, and what does it look like? That’s a question I have been grappling with lately, and I loved how this book breaks down the differences between “true urgency” (which is driven by internal motivation to move and win, now) vs. “false urgency” (which is driven by external pressures and is not sustainable). It also gives several tactics that leaders can use to instill urgency in their teams and are all very actionable.
I’m probably going to be recommending this to a bunch of people at work, and I’ve already ordered another one of Kotter’s books, Leading Change, to read next!
4.5 stars (come for the wisdom, not the elegant prose)
As Kotter explains, any successful business is bound to reach periods of complacency, and it is up to leaders to instill a sense of urgency in their organizations if they are to keep pace with change. I think most people know this, but what does “urgency” really mean, and what does it look like? That’s a question I have been grappling with lately, and I loved how this book breaks down the differences between “true urgency” (which is driven by internal motivation to move and win, now) vs. “false urgency” (which is driven by external pressures and is not sustainable). It also gives several tactics that leaders can use to instill urgency in their teams and are all very actionable.
I’m probably going to be recommending this to a bunch of people at work, and I’ve already ordered another one of Kotter’s books, Leading Change, to read next!
4.5 stars (come for the wisdom, not the elegant prose)
January 13, 2020
'Orchestrating and maintaining positive momentum' would be a phrase that sums up the entire book, but that in itself makes it sound very boring. However this book via the examples explored throughout the book brings to light on how important it is to maintain a sense of true urgency to achieve solid goals that will compound over a period of time.
A wonderful book which came into my life in the time I really needed it. The book is an easy read and the language also flows well. Some might find the content sounding very similar in tone to success /time management related books. However the simplicity of the guidelines and actions to be taken mentioned in the book makes the world of achievement a game one could easily step into.
More useful for folks who have been in an organization or worked in large groups for a while. I really got scared looking at how I actually take urgency in getting something done today. Worth a read.
A wonderful book which came into my life in the time I really needed it. The book is an easy read and the language also flows well. Some might find the content sounding very similar in tone to success /time management related books. However the simplicity of the guidelines and actions to be taken mentioned in the book makes the world of achievement a game one could easily step into.
More useful for folks who have been in an organization or worked in large groups for a while. I really got scared looking at how I actually take urgency in getting something done today. Worth a read.
October 8, 2018
I read this “business book” with an “education” lens, and it fit perfectly. Professor Kotter outlines a very succinct case for why - and how - we need to be urgent for the most pressing issues effecting us. I’m a teacher, so I read this and substituted many words of business like “corporation” with “district”, and “customers” with “students/families”, and the ideas (he calls them tactics) are no less powerful. If you’re curious about how to be more effective - to truly work “smarter, not harder”, and if you’re willing to spend about a week racing through this less-than-200-page reference book, I’d argue your business/corporation/school district/school/classroom will be better off for it.
November 26, 2023
John Kotter is my favorite writer about change. I constantly remind myself that with any change, communication isn’t just important, it’s critical. “Over communication” isn’t possible.
In this 2008 book, Kotter explains why a sense of urgency is another key factor to success. Leaders must keep the team motivated, and keep the mood away from the extremes of complacency and a false sense of urgency. He includes examples of successes of leaders who adopt this model, and the failures of those who ignore it.
While reading, I was reminded of my favorite – and most successful – clients. I’ll be ordering copies to share with them, as well as some people who need to hear Kotter’s message.
In this 2008 book, Kotter explains why a sense of urgency is another key factor to success. Leaders must keep the team motivated, and keep the mood away from the extremes of complacency and a false sense of urgency. He includes examples of successes of leaders who adopt this model, and the failures of those who ignore it.
While reading, I was reminded of my favorite – and most successful – clients. I’ll be ordering copies to share with them, as well as some people who need to hear Kotter’s message.
March 24, 2023
There are not many other books on the topic of urgency so this is an important read. Especially worthwhile to understand the difference between true urgency and just thrashing about which he calls "false urgency".
The examples are not believable. If I tried to inspire urgency by telling my engineers that they can increase revenue numbers then they will not be motivated to work immediately nor work overtime. If I tell them they can make more customers happy or make meaning, that's more inspirational.
Overall, it's worth reading. Not sure it was eye opening.
The examples are not believable. If I tried to inspire urgency by telling my engineers that they can increase revenue numbers then they will not be motivated to work immediately nor work overtime. If I tell them they can make more customers happy or make meaning, that's more inspirational.
Overall, it's worth reading. Not sure it was eye opening.
April 25, 2018
Buenas ideas, todas muy prácticas, el asunto de la autocomplacencia es muy bien abordado, desde distintos ejemplos y con suficiente variedad.
Con respecto a la “urgencia”, en mi opinión, no me parece sostenible, el status quo se dará naturalmente y tratar de evitarlo por completo repercutirá duramente en la salud del personal y de la organización.
Kotter es un autor reconocido, en el caso de este libro su aproximación es dirigida hacia los “practitioners”.
Con respecto a la “urgencia”, en mi opinión, no me parece sostenible, el status quo se dará naturalmente y tratar de evitarlo por completo repercutirá duramente en la salud del personal y de la organización.
Kotter es un autor reconocido, en el caso de este libro su aproximación es dirigida hacia los “practitioners”.
August 16, 2018
This book could easily be pared down to a 10-page article (I'm assuming it started life as an article anyway). And it tends to say the same thing over and over in different, increasingly emphatic corporo-speak ways. It gets real alpha at times. And yet, despite my peeves with it, it's still a solid, easy-to-read book with some ideas and suggestions worth serious consideration. I'm glad I read it.
December 23, 2024
John P. Kotter est l'auteur d'une méthode pour piloter le changement en huit étapes. Dans ce livre, il approfondit la première de ces étapes, celle qui consiste à développer au sein de l'organisation qui change un sens de l'urgence.
Datant de 2008, l'approche de l'auteur et son cadre conceptuel sont très intéressants, mais son propos a mal vieillit, car désormais, le changement en entreprise est presque constant.
Datant de 2008, l'approche de l'auteur et son cadre conceptuel sont très intéressants, mais son propos a mal vieillit, car désormais, le changement en entreprise est presque constant.
December 9, 2025
It really helped me to notice what it is that I really want to do with my time and where I spend most of my day. It places everything into a good perspective so that I can plan ahead--not just do. It is important to take control of the limited time we all have. It is good to see how much it is us--and how much is everything else. Interesting how it is we always think we can always put everything off for a later time.
Strongly recommend it to all ages.
Strongly recommend it to all ages.
April 11, 2018
Discussed difference between urgency, complacency and false urgency. Did not care for his writing method. Gave me anxiety thinking that after an urgent issue is dealt with, you need to focus on the next issue or create another urgent matter. I think there are times when you should just stop and think about the situation.
November 6, 2023
Overall a decent read, but I think all of the main points could have been written in an article or blog post with a handful of good bullet points. The author uses many stories to support his conclusions, but at times it just felt like filler.
The premise is a good one. Good leaders create urgency and fight against complacency.
The premise is a good one. Good leaders create urgency and fight against complacency.
February 24, 2018
Really details urgency vs. just frantic actions. Loved all the examples and comparisons. Well written; easy read. Gives you the ability to use concepts on an of your life’s challenges. Spends lots of time explaining complacency which was very helpful.
September 16, 2018
Well documented with examples of how important urgency is today and tomorrow. Author gives “rules” to create a sense of urgency in ourselves and in groups and companies. Many of the rules are intuitive and a few come from the authors vast experience in consulting.
December 1, 2019
This is an interesting book with some insightful points. I would recommend it to anyone who is leading change in any organisation. The central point is how to create urgency with some very specific tactics you can use, including dealing with no-no's, those folks we all run into.
March 13, 2020
A very fine book w/ extremely valuable first couple of chapters. Chapters on addressing the urgency and rallying co-workers I guess were valuable, but I struggled to get any significant take outs that I would feel strong in replicating.
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