Book Value

The Heart of Change Field Guide: Tools and Tactics for Leading Change in Your Organization
By Dan S. Cohen
McGraw-Hill Ryerson, $34.95

A clean-cut offshoot to The Heart of Change by Dan Cohen and co-author John P. Kotter, the focus is on the oft-overlooked role of emotion in adapting to change.

The power of head-on communication and feedback is addressed on almost every page throughout this 225-page book. Chapters cover topics such as creating a climate for change, building teams, the company’s vision, and communicating for a “gut-level buy-in.”

The field guide is meant to be a guide, not a workbook, says the author. It is packed with worksheets, checklists and diagnostic tools. The crisp, clean format is chock full of generous white space and bullet points that make for an easy read.

Cohen illustrates his philosophy with real-life scenarios. One such example is “The videotape of the angry customer.” A product manager videotaped a customer venting his frustration over a product and subsequently showed the video to employees. According to the manager, viewing a living, breathing customer hit home with his staff. With that powerful vision, the employees were motivated to strive for a customer-centered organization.

Cohen draws on his consulting experience as a principal with Deloitte Consulting LLC. In that role, he focuses on large-scale organizational transformation.

Geared towards business leaders incorporating change, “this book is like a thesaurus or dictionary,” says Cohen. “You don’t use all of it all the time, but it is an essential companion.”

-- Diana Cawfield