I recently read a book entitled "Our Iceberg is Melting" by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber. This book is written in the form of a fable and is about a group of penguins that live on an iceberg that is-you guessed it- melting.As with any fable, this story is not really about the penguins- there is a bigger concept being communicated here: change. John Kotter is a business professor at Harvard and an authority on change management, and he uses the fable to illustrate how organizations deal with change. During the course of the story, the penguins, who represent such an organization, go through the process of change as they find a solution to their melting iceberg problem and key change management points are addressed. For anyone belonging to such an organization or anyone just facing change in general, this book is very helpful.
In the story, the penguins must first accept the need for change, then come up with a plan to deal with it and then execute said plan. It seems simple enough, until you account for the hesitation of those set in their ways or afraid of what such a change might hold in store for them. Then you must consider that those leading this change must keep the group focused and motivated, all while constantly dealing with naysayers trying to lead them astray. Any organization dealing with change deals with these same challenges as well, and creative, effective solutions are needed to meet and surpass them.
Here at Wilder we are also dealing with change; some good, some not. Recently, we have stepped up our PR work in an attempt to garner better results for our clients. After many hours of hard work this week, our efforts proved successful at the Working Worlds/ GAX Technologies Job Fair, where we saw excellent attendance on Thursday. Lately we have also seen an increase in opportunities to work with RL Companies, and we are in the process of changing and tailoring our services to better meet the needs of those potential clients.
As for the bad news, it is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our manager Mahala Bing. After over a year at Wilder Public Relations, Mahala is leaving us to pursue her interests in both SL and RL. We wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors. We will certainly miss you, Mahala.
We at Wilder are confident that, although faced with a big change in losing such an integral member of our team, we are equipped to handle it efficiently and will continue to provide our clients with the utmost in service and satisfaction. Just like the penguins in the story finally embrace change and make it to a new iceberg, so shall we continue to face any obstacles we may come up against with the same prescision, poise, and professionalism you have come to expect from Wilder.
As our company changes and grows, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all of our clients, colleagues and friends for sharing in our journey so far. We look forward to having you with us as we see our vision for Wilder realized. We would not be where we are today without you and we thank you so much for all of your support.
If you are looking for advice on dealing with change, or if you simply are looking for a nice story for light reading, I would reccomend "Our Iceberg Is Melting". It’s such an easy read that even children can enjoy it and the tips are great just for your personal edification. Every one of us will be faced with change at some point or another, and the more ready you are ahead of time, the better you will be able to handle it when it comes. I hope all of you out there meet your challenges with confidence and assurance and that you always find success in your dealings with change.
Wishing you only the best,
Ansleigh Beverly
Administrative Assistant, Wilder PR
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