November 2008
Climate of change
When we first decided, last year, that this issue of Edge would focus on change, little did we know just how much the world would be changing this autumn. In the space of just a few weeks, venerable financial institutions have gone bust, banks have been semi-nationalised and stock markets the world over have plummeted. What began as a rumble in the financial markets has grown into a full-blown global storm, the effects of which are now being felt in the real economy – the one in which we all live, work, and buy and sell goods and services to each other.
There are few people better qualified to help managers tackle change than this month’s cover star, John Kotter. His advice? Crack down on complacency and cultivate a sense of urgency – two things managers shouldn’t find too difficult in today’s climate. Coupled with articles on everything from taking your business abroad to surviving a new CEO, this issue of Edge has everything you need to see you – and your team – through change on any scale.
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Features
They say change is the only constant but the authority on leading change hasn’t altered for years. A Harvard professor at just 33, John Kotter’s eight-step process for successful change has been practised by millions of managers across the globe. Jane Lewis went to meet him
It’s not unusual for the appointment of a new CEO to spark mass panic among managers, with rumours of job cuts and restructuring flying around the office. But it needn’t be that way. Karen Higginbottom investigates how to survive and thrive when there’s change at the top
British sportsmen and women used to be regarded as honourable losers until the Beijing Olympics, where something altogether different happened – they started winning. Steve Coomber looks at the valuable lessons managers could learn from the success of Team GB
Columns
Under the influence
Every day we face the challenge of persuading others, whether it’s getting your colleagues to agree with you or your partner to put the kettle on. In the first of a new series, Steve Martin offers his top tips to help managers encourage their teams to change
Party people
Breathe a sigh of relief – shopping for a show-stopping party outfit that’s in style and on budget has never been easier, says Katie Greengrass
Loose change
In the corporate world, there’s no escaping change, says Stewart Gowans – though us humans do everything we can to resist it