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Quote by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Sports is a perfect activity in which to see streaks and cycles, organizational and otherwise, in action - and to watch confidence build or erode. There are repeated episodes of performance with similar rules and clear winners or losers. I added team sports to my studies of business because there are excellent parallels to work groups in the performance of sports teams and also excellent parallels to larger, more complex businesses or organizations in the strategy, structure, and culture surrounding any particular team.”

Quote by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Author

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Rosabeth Moss Kanter is an esteemed professor born on March 15, 1943. She is renowned for her research and teaching in the fields of organizational behavior, leadership, and innovation. more

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“Sometimes you lose - perhaps because you play against the very best, or because surprises happen - but if there is organizational confidence, you bounce back from losses and convert them to successes.”

Sometimes Loss Surprise Organizational

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Confidence is not just in people's heads; it comes from the culture of the organization. It's easier to expect success when working in an organization that has a culture of accountability, collaboration, and initiative. Without this, it's easier - and more self-protective - to assume failure so the person is not disappointed and instead pleasantly surprised.”

Culture Assuming Accountability Disappointed Collaboration Initiative

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“The behavior of people and the culture of an organization are very different in winning streaks and losing streaks. But what both have in common is their momentum - once winners' or losers' habits and culture take hold, they tend to perpetuate themselves.”

People Different Culture Winning Common Habit Behavior Losing

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“The difference between "winners" and "losers" is not whether they face obstacles and setbacks - we all do, and it is inevitable that plans do not unfold exactly as imagined or that unexpected events surprise us or that a few mistakes happen. The real difference is that "winners" bounce back from a fumble or a loss by refusing to panic, analyzing the situation and looking for positive actions they can take to correct the problem, and then go on to resume winning.”

Real Problem Action Winning Loss Mistake Situation Surprise Obstacles Inevitable Winner Unexpected Loser Setback

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Innovation is an outgrowth of initiative, and initiative - taking positive actions in a belief that your actions can make a difference - is a big part of confidence.”

Action Belief Innovation Making A Difference Initiative

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Confidence is not lodged in people's brains, it comes from the support system that surrounds them. Let's not confuse confidence overall with just self-confidence. Self-confidence is only one part of confidence. People also need confidence in others - their colleagues and leaders - that they can count on them to do the right thing and not to let them down.”

People Brain Leader Support Right Thing Surround

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Embrace change as an opportunity to learn, to improve, to make a difference in others' lives as well as in your own. Have the courage to challenge the status quo. Remember that preparation and ambition in combination with opportunity equals success. And have fun!”

Remember Opportunity Fun Challenges Ambition Embrace Preparation Having Fun Making A Difference Status Quo

Author:Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Change is difficult and it takes time. It is hard for people to change their own behavior, much less that of others. Change programs normally address attitudes, ideas, and rewards. But the behaviors of people in organizations are also strongly shaped by habits, routines, and social norms. Real change requires new power relationships, new work routines and new habits, not just intent.”

People Real Difficult Attitude Habit Behavior Program Take Time Norm It Takes Time

Author:Richard P. Rumelt

“I agree with O'Toole that custom and comfort are impediments to change. However, it is important to recognize that resistance to change is logical as well. The new "change masters" literature seems to take change as the norm. It isn't. Humans naturally see change as risky because it is risky, just as mutations in genes are mostly destructive. You would not want to go to work were everything changed every week! The phone system, the office assignments, who reports to who, and the whole set of job expectations.”

Important Literature Week Changed Comfort Office Expectations Agree Logical Norm Things Change

Author:Richard P. Rumelt

“You overcome the logical resistance to change by proving that a new approach actually works, usually on a small scale.”

Prove Overcoming Logical

Author:Richard P. Rumelt