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Product Description
Robin Geffen, Financial Times Magazine
'It promotes the idea of in-depth thinking...in business it is
important to listen to different strands of thought'
important to listen to different strands of thought'
Product Description
A simple fable with profound lessons for working and living in an ever changing world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've just finished reading this short book. It explains Kotter's Eight Step Process for Change that he first described in more conventional form in Leading Change and then Heart of Change. It tells the story of a colony of penguins who eventually commit to abandoning the iceberg they have inhabited for generations.
Whilst it won;t make the Man Booker shortlist next year, I found the fable subtle, realistic and rich enough to keep me reading, and it didn't take long to read the 147 pages of large type, several of which were devoted to some very attractive colour illustrations of points in the story. The story illustrations of Kotter's model were good, and the penguin characters had some familiarity, particularly NoNo the influential saboteur, who did all he could to oppose the change.
This is designed as a more accessible format for the type of manager who would rather freeze on an ice floe than read a research-based management book such as Kotter's original Leading Change. The authors researched how some of the key messages of Kotter's work could be better communicated through story-telling and enhanced by good pictures.
And I think the authors have pulled it off. I can see this book going down well in certain team contexts or change management training courses. Well worth checking out, and it won't take much time to read.
Whilst it won;t make the Man Booker shortlist next year, I found the fable subtle, realistic and rich enough to keep me reading, and it didn't take long to read the 147 pages of large type, several of which were devoted to some very attractive colour illustrations of points in the story. The story illustrations of Kotter's model were good, and the penguin characters had some familiarity, particularly NoNo the influential saboteur, who did all he could to oppose the change.
This is designed as a more accessible format for the type of manager who would rather freeze on an ice floe than read a research-based management book such as Kotter's original Leading Change. The authors researched how some of the key messages of Kotter's work could be better communicated through story-telling and enhanced by good pictures.
And I think the authors have pulled it off. I can see this book going down well in certain team contexts or change management training courses. Well worth checking out, and it won't take much time to read.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After reading this book you will want to explore Kotters other work:
* Leading Change and
* The Heart of Change.
These give you the depth and breadth that is obviously missing here. I have found other books that I thought had the edge, over Kotters work these include:
*Strategic Organization Change - Pub 2005. It is based around a comprehensive organization model and linked change processes, that leads you to what I think is a more realistic view of how to proceed, that is easier to digest than some aspects of Kotters work which has been around for a while now. (see my other reviews)
*Tool kit for Organizational change, by Thomas Cawsey - Pub 2007. This is the product of 10 years work, the result is a very useful, readable and pragmatic guide to organizational change.(see my other reviews)
Stan Felstead - Interchange Resources - UK.
* Leading Change and
* The Heart of Change.
These give you the depth and breadth that is obviously missing here. I have found other books that I thought had the edge, over Kotters work these include:
*Strategic Organization Change - Pub 2005. It is based around a comprehensive organization model and linked change processes, that leads you to what I think is a more realistic view of how to proceed, that is easier to digest than some aspects of Kotters work which has been around for a while now. (see my other reviews)
*Tool kit for Organizational change, by Thomas Cawsey - Pub 2007. This is the product of 10 years work, the result is a very useful, readable and pragmatic guide to organizational change.(see my other reviews)
Stan Felstead - Interchange Resources - UK.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
My favorite part of John Kotter's classic, Leading Change, is the cover image of a penguin leaping across a space between two blocks of ice while 10 other penguins look on from the side the penguin leaped from. Here is one case where you can tell the book by its cover.
Obviously, that wonderful image penetrated deeply into the consciousness of Holger Rathgeber in designing this penguin-based version of how a leader might deal with the problem in Who Moved My Cheese? (changing conditions affect survival)? If you miss that connection to Who Moved My Cheese? there's a foreword by Spencer Johnson to make it clearer.
The Emperor Penguins have lived on an iceberg in Antarctica for many years. They planned to always live there. But Fred had a different idea: The iceberg was melting in a way that meant the possibility of a catastrophic collapse in mid-Winter. The rest of the book explores how Fred's knowledge is translated into useful action for the 268 penguins that lived in the colony.
The fable naturally draws on John Kotter's famous eight steps for leading change which I have paraphrased below into seven to make them easier to understand:
1. Get peoples' attention.
2. Establish a change-leading team.
3. Agree on the results you want.
4. Allow needed changes.
5. Show regular progress.
6. Stay focused.
7. Build new habits that will serve you well after the change is done.
Fables are difficult to write. I admire John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber for taking a crack at it.
But if you pay attention to the facts, you'll find that their story doesn't quite make sense. Emperor Penguins live on the pack ice that forms seasonally. As the pack ice retreats, they simply move to the edge. Seldom would they stay on an iceberg. Why? Because the ice breaks up when the youngsters are old enough to swim to the main ice pack. If you read science articles, you'll also learn that what is more likely to threaten a penguin community is that their iceberg drifts into an area where the winter freeze isolates the colony too far from the open sea. The penguins have to walk to the sea rather than dive in to get food.
Also, most icebergs are going to eventually release into warmer seas and melt that way rather than be split by freezing water as described in this book.
If you look at the leadership, it's also very male dominated. The story would be more realistic if it included more male-female interaction.
The problem of survival in the face of the environment seems more akin to what a town council might face in deciding to relocate away from a leaking dam that what a business organization might face.
I could go on, but I'm sure you see the point: A better fable could have been written (even if it had to involve penguins).
I also compared the book to Leading Change and The Heart of Change. Unless you are only able to learn by reading fables, both of those books are much better on this subject.
My suggestion is that you let the iceberg melt and read about how people lead instead in Dr. Kotter's other excellent books.
Obviously, that wonderful image penetrated deeply into the consciousness of Holger Rathgeber in designing this penguin-based version of how a leader might deal with the problem in Who Moved My Cheese? (changing conditions affect survival)? If you miss that connection to Who Moved My Cheese? there's a foreword by Spencer Johnson to make it clearer.
The Emperor Penguins have lived on an iceberg in Antarctica for many years. They planned to always live there. But Fred had a different idea: The iceberg was melting in a way that meant the possibility of a catastrophic collapse in mid-Winter. The rest of the book explores how Fred's knowledge is translated into useful action for the 268 penguins that lived in the colony.
The fable naturally draws on John Kotter's famous eight steps for leading change which I have paraphrased below into seven to make them easier to understand:
1. Get peoples' attention.
2. Establish a change-leading team.
3. Agree on the results you want.
4. Allow needed changes.
5. Show regular progress.
6. Stay focused.
7. Build new habits that will serve you well after the change is done.
Fables are difficult to write. I admire John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber for taking a crack at it.
But if you pay attention to the facts, you'll find that their story doesn't quite make sense. Emperor Penguins live on the pack ice that forms seasonally. As the pack ice retreats, they simply move to the edge. Seldom would they stay on an iceberg. Why? Because the ice breaks up when the youngsters are old enough to swim to the main ice pack. If you read science articles, you'll also learn that what is more likely to threaten a penguin community is that their iceberg drifts into an area where the winter freeze isolates the colony too far from the open sea. The penguins have to walk to the sea rather than dive in to get food.
Also, most icebergs are going to eventually release into warmer seas and melt that way rather than be split by freezing water as described in this book.
If you look at the leadership, it's also very male dominated. The story would be more realistic if it included more male-female interaction.
The problem of survival in the face of the environment seems more akin to what a town council might face in deciding to relocate away from a leaking dam that what a business organization might face.
I could go on, but I'm sure you see the point: A better fable could have been written (even if it had to involve penguins).
I also compared the book to Leading Change and The Heart of Change. Unless you are only able to learn by reading fables, both of those books are much better on this subject.
My suggestion is that you let the iceberg melt and read about how people lead instead in Dr. Kotter's other excellent books.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Light reading but a good reminder of the reasons for change
I read this book to earn some of PDU's required to retain my PMP qualification. It's very light and could be read in an afternoon. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Allison
we are all penguins, who knew?
I am a mature student currently studying and for and MBA and read many long winded descriptions about simple activities. Read more
Published 23 days ago by monkey
My Iceberg Melted
Used this book to help with understanding of change management. It was brilliant. All other academic books I have read made my head spin - This book makes them make sense, It's... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Tracy
Our vocabulary is failing
I can see I am isolated in my opinion on this one. Whilst I appreciate the use of a fable as an aid to both comprehension and assimilation of an idea, there is no excuse for the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Pete Keeley
A great metaphor
I bought this book because I actually enjoyed the cover and the title was very suggesting. as I'm interested in the topic of change management I decided to buy it. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Liliana Costa
Our Iceberg is Melting
This is a very practical book guaranteed to help anyone not only to cope but to lead change in any aspect of life. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Uk
Useful book
I use this for my leadership class with our school prefects (17/18 years old). Feedback is generally positive. An easy read providing good talking points for my students.
Published 10 months ago by Jesse Raccio
Great intro
I used this book (with a copy for each participant) as an introduction to change management. The group thought it was really good and used the penguin analagies to identify people... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Geoff Middlewich
The change management book to buy your team
This is a book to turn the hearts of the reluctant, those who can't see the need to change. But don't get it for them, get it for your team. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Andrew Sillis
Our Iceberg is Melting
A great and easy book to read, I read this at the same time as Fish The Omnibus and The Present whilst on leave and made me think about my company and how with the economic state... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Big Paul
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