A Sense of Urgency

John Kotter’s A Sense of Urgency is a crisp, no-nonsense guide to catalyzing real change by tackling the hidden enemy of complacency. Building on decades of research in leadership and change, Kotter argues that organizations often mistake busywork for progress. What’s really needed is a true sense of urgency—focused, purposeful, and sustained.

Top 3 Takeaways

True Urgency vs False Urgency

Activity isn’t progress. False urgency looks fast but lacks direction. True urgency is intentional, grounded in purpose, and relentlessly focused on outcomes.

Complacency Is Quiet but Dangerous

Comfort with the status quo can quietly stall progress. Leaders must name and challenge it directly, even when performance seems fine on the surface.

Urgency Is a Leadership Behavior

It’s not a memo. Urgency shows up in how leaders speak, act, and prioritize. It must be lived every day to spread across teams.

One example Kotter shares is of a firm facing a disruptive threat. Their leaders launched meeting after meeting but took no action. Meanwhile, a competitor acted swiftly and gained advantage. The takeaway is clear. Urgency without follow-through is just theater.

Relevance to CX Leaders

Purposeful Pressure

CX leaders must rise above the noise of constant customer demands and tech hype to direct urgency toward what truly drives value.

Confronting Complacency in Operations

Teams often normalize inefficiencies or legacy processes. Cultivating urgency means questioning routines and acting with intent.

Lead the Shift

Urgency cascades from the top. Consistent, focused action and communication shape how teams engage and respond to change.

How PodiumCX Applies the Concepts of A Sense of Urgency

Urgency is approached as clarity in motion. Every engagement begins by identifying what matters most, who is affected, why it matters, and what is at risk. The PodiumCX Strategic Framework and Capability Model help clients pinpoint gaps, define priorities, and build traction through focused execution. Maturity assessments and roadmaps are designed not just to assess but to initiate progress.

Kotter’s message is especially relevant in customer experience work where transformation requires more than ideas. It demands decisive leadership. Like a cyclist sensing the breakaway moment, urgency is about timing, commitment, and intent.

Explore more at www.podiumcx.com to see how urgency and strategy come together to accelerate CX value.

PodiumCX, LLC, 2025. All rights reserved.

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