A  Sense  of  Urgency:  Part  1    When  we  think  about  continuous  development  of  highly  innovative  technology,      changing  political  environments,  globalization  and  steep  growth,  tough  competition,      mergers  and  acquisitions,  it’s  a  whirlwind  of  rapid  change  that  fosters  urgency.      Urgency  means  a  sense  of  pressing  importance.  To  live  out  success  factors,  its      crucial  to  be  able  to  distinguish  between  a  “true  sense  of  urgency”  and  a  “false  sense      of  urgency.”  In  fact,  distinguishing  between  them  during  the  very  first  step  of  any      kind  of  change  can  mean  the  difference  between  success  and  failure.      A  good  change  model  is  one  whose  leadership  adopts  and  promotes  a  culture  of      the  “right”  sense  of  urgency  throughout  the  company.  The  thought  leader  on  this      phenomenon  is  Harvard  MIT  Change  Expert  Dr.  John  Kotter,  who  says  that  50%      of  all  change  efforts  fail  during  the  first  step  of  change.  Why  do  they  fail?  Mainly      because  of  lack  of  vision,  communication  of  the  vision,  empowering  others  to  act  on      the  vision,  and  more,  the  lack  of  which  creates  a  false  sense  of  urgency.    In  many  cases,  the  opposite  of  a  right  sense  of  urgency  is  compliancy.  We  all      unconsciously  experience  complacency  to  a  certain  degree  in  certain  situations.  And      it  is  possible  to  see  problems  and  be  complacent  because  you  do  not  feel  tat  they      require  change  from  YOU.      On  the  other  hand,  people  having  a  true  sense  of  urgency  think  that  action  on      important  issues  is  needed  now  and  not  eventually  when  it  fits  into  their  schedules.      “Now”  means  making  progress  every  day.  “Critically  important”  means  that  acting      upon  it  is  central  to  success  and  winning.  To  illustrate  something  we  all  face  every      day,  a  sense  of  urgency  is  not  an  attitude  that  I  must  have  the  team  meeting  today,      

but  rather,  a  positive,  focused  attitude  that  the  team  meeting  must  accomplish      something  important  today.