Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail (by John Kotter) was the most reprinted article at HBR. Dr. Kotter wrote it after he had watched more than 100 companies attempt turnaround efforts. The vast majority of them failed. Miserably.
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They failed for one of eight reasons; BUT HALF OF THE FAILURES SHARED ONE OF THE SAME TWO REASONS!

What did the successful companies do right? It’s all in the article, and it’s my Merry Christmas present to you ($8.95 value). Simply leave a reply below or drop me an email within the next week, and the article is yours.
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Let’s apply those same critical principles to our personal leadership. How do we deal with the tricky character issues that keep us from accomplishing our goals?

Changing is hard. Lasting change is harder... but worth it! As my former boss John Maxwell says, “Everything we need is slightly uphill from where we are now. We have uphill aspirations, but we have downhill habits.”

Ouch! I’ve lived too many years of my life stuck. But not any more, and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Here are 4 Tips for Creating Personal Urgency. (It will take you 10 minutes.)

1. Write down at least three positive benefits of the change you seek.
2. Note three reasons you’d hate to stay stuck in your current pattern.
3. Write the primary reason that you have not changed yet?
4. How will you overcome that reason (and who will you enlist to help)?

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can be better, don’t lose hope; make 2022 your best year ever. Start small, and start today.

Merry Christmas! My next blog will be sent January 4, 2022--so Happy New Year too.