Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter is widely regarded as the world's foremost authority on leadership and change.  His has been the premier voice on how the best organizations actually "do" change. In his new book and speech, A Sense of Urgency, he provides key tactics for rooting out complacency every day, finding opportunity in crises and dealing with naysayers.

   Professor Kotter's goal is to mobilize an audience to action, spurring them to reexamine their practices and provide more leadership in their spheres of activity. Because this is obviously an ambitious objective, the process Professor Kotter uses is not the norm at business meetings. His method is both intellectual and emotional. It involves audience participation as well as one-way lecturing. He uses humor, videotape, prepared slides, case studies and a little theatrical flourish. Two hours are preferred minimum speech duration. He has shared the agenda with Bill Clinton and Colin Powell among other headliners.

   John Kotter’s international bestseller Leading Change—which outlined an actionable, 8-step process for implementing successful transformations—became the change bible for managers around the world. In October 2001, Business Week magazine rated Kotter the #1 "leadership guru" in America based on a survey they conducted of 504 enterprises.

   His newest work released September 2006, Our Iceberg Is Melting, puts the 8-step process within an allegory, making it accessible to the broad range of people needed to effect major organizational transformations.

   John Kotter’s articles in The Harvard Business Review over the past twenty years have sold more reprints than any of the hundreds of distinguished authors who have written for that publication during the same time period. His books are in the top 1% of sales from Amazon.com.

   Professor Kotter is the author of 15 books, a collection that has given him  more honors and awards than any other writer on the topics of leadership and change.   In addition to Our Iceberg is Melting and Leading Change, Professor Kotter is the author of The Heart of Change, John P. Kotter on What Leaders Really Do, Matsushita Leadership , Corporate Culture and Performance, A Force for Change, The Leadership Factor, Power and Influence, The General Managers, and five others. He has created two executive videos; one on "Leadership", and one on "Corporate Culture" , and an educational CD-ROM based on the Leading Change book. His educational articles in the Harvard Business Review have sold a million and a half copies. Professor Kotter's books have been printed in over seventy foreign language editions, and total sales exceed two million copies.

   Professor Kotter's honors include an Exxon Award for Innovation in Graduate Business School Curriculum Design, and a Johnson, Smith & Knisely Award for New Perspectives in Business Leadership. In 1996, Professor Kotter's Leading Change was named the #1 management book of the year by Management General. In 1998, his Matsushita Leadership won first place in the Financial Times, Booz-Allen Global Business Book Competition for biography/ autobiography.

Newest Topic:
A True Sense of Urgency
   Learn the key tactics for increasing urgency, as well as exposing and rooting out complacency. Hear how to bring the outside in, behave with urgency every day, find opportunity in crises and deal with naysayers.

Other topics include: Leading Change

Testimonials:

"Someone had mistakenly told me that "his writing is better than his presentation." Nothing could be further from the truth! One of the most inspiring and thought generating speakers I have encountered. Reminds me of an academic Tony Robbins (please, that is my frame of compliment!) What better gift to give other than the gift of provoking thought and changes in behavior."

"A superb performer and the content was highly relevant. Fun. Fascinating. Thought provoking. Challenging. I will remember him and his challenge to us all for a long time."

"Fabulous presenter, terrific command of material. Excellent engagement with participants, expecting us to read, giving us credit for figuring out the conclusion. A powerful message --> Do something to make our grandchildren proud. Which I accept as a challenge."

"Top notch. No wonder he is such a world renowned figure. Just great."

"Astonishing. Superb lecturing. Amazingly special and personally very helpful. Makes it all worthwhile."