November 2, 2005
Emotion is Key to Change, Says Deloitte Consulting Principal
by Gayle Hight
At a meeting of the Graduate Consulting Group, Dan Cohen, a principal at Deloitte Consulting, asked the MBA students to think back on a successful project. “At the time, did you realize it was a success, were you feeling an emotion or were you planning or thinking about what to do next?” The MBAs all said they felt some emotion. Cohen then told the audience that he had asked this same question to more than 6,000 people around the world. They all had the same answer— they all felt an emotional attachment to their success.
Cohen emphasized that unless people become emotionally involved in a change initiative, change will not happen. He had extensively researched the change process with John Kotter, marketing professor at Harvard and found that people don't change because of any facts or data presented but because a compelling experience changed their feelings on the matter.
Leaders, said Cohen, are responsible for creating a climate for change and creating emotion. They do this by helping others to see the effect the change will have on them personally. “No one cares about the metrics or business case that comes down from senior management, unless they become emotionally involved and energized,” said Cohen. “Leaders must help others see a reason for change. The change becomes part of the solution instead of part of the problem.”
Cohen has written three books on change, "Leading Change" (1997), "The Heart of Change" (with John Kotter in 2002), and "The Heart of Change Field Guide" (2005). Cohen earned his Ph.D. in organizational psychology from Ohio State University.
Notable Sound Bites
On what to remember:
If you remember nothing else I’ve said today, remember this: fear, anger, and complacency. These emotions are what stops change in its tracks. It’s all about a lack of energy in the organization.
On lack of energy in organizations:
Many organizations today do not get people energized. And the leaders don’t get excited, either.
On how people are motivated to change:
People see what others are doing rather than what they are saying. My old boss used to say, talk is cheap. It takes money to buy liquor.
On where leaders fail most often in leading the change process:
Leaders have to be tenacious in order to make the change stick. That’s the hardest part of the change process when behavior starts to fall apart.
Emotion is Key to Change, Says Deloitte Consulting Principal
by Gayle Hight
At a meeting of the Graduate Consulting Group, Dan Cohen, a principal at Deloitte Consulting, asked the MBA students to think back on a successful project. “At the time, did you realize it was a success, were you feeling an emotion or were you planning or thinking about what to do next?” The MBAs all said they felt some emotion. Cohen then told the audience that he had asked this same question to more than 6,000 people around the world. They all had the same answer— they all felt an emotional attachment to their success.
Cohen emphasized that unless people become emotionally involved in a change initiative, change will not happen. He had extensively researched the change process with John Kotter, marketing professor at Harvard and found that people don't change because of any facts or data presented but because a compelling experience changed their feelings on the matter.
Leaders, said Cohen, are responsible for creating a climate for change and creating emotion. They do this by helping others to see the effect the change will have on them personally. “No one cares about the metrics or business case that comes down from senior management, unless they become emotionally involved and energized,” said Cohen. “Leaders must help others see a reason for change. The change becomes part of the solution instead of part of the problem.”
Cohen has written three books on change, "Leading Change" (1997), "The Heart of Change" (with John Kotter in 2002), and "The Heart of Change Field Guide" (2005). Cohen earned his Ph.D. in organizational psychology from Ohio State University.
Notable Sound Bites
On what to remember:
If you remember nothing else I’ve said today, remember this: fear, anger, and complacency. These emotions are what stops change in its tracks. It’s all about a lack of energy in the organization.
On lack of energy in organizations:
Many organizations today do not get people energized. And the leaders don’t get excited, either.
On how people are motivated to change:
People see what others are doing rather than what they are saying. My old boss used to say, talk is cheap. It takes money to buy liquor.
On where leaders fail most often in leading the change process:
Leaders have to be tenacious in order to make the change stick. That’s the hardest part of the change process when behavior starts to fall apart.
