I have read two books in the last two weeks, “Awaken the Giant Within” by Tony Robbins and “What the Dog Saw” by Malcolm Gladwell. Whenever I read a book, I read it with an eye to lessons or insights that I can use in organizational change. Robbins' book is full of insights; Gladwell has his moments. These disparities in insight arise from the difference in construction and intent of the two books. Robbins wrote his book as a roadmap to help people change; while Gladwell's book is a collection of his previously published articles. This makes Gladwell's book a bit disjointed in its flow. But what really sets the two books apart is how Gladwell does a great job of presenting the information, but fails to connect the stories with any in-depth hints. So while there are plenty of “interesting” moments, there aren’t many “ah ha” moments in his book. It simply tells a bunch of interesting, but loosely coupled stories that leave you with an "interesting story, but so what?" sensation. Robbins, on the other hand, overwhelms you with insights. His stories are designed to provide insights (and action plans) that lead to transformational change. That said, there are two essays in Gladwell's book that are worth reading and thinking about with respect to the process of organizational change. These essays are "The Pitchman" on Ron Popeil and "What the Dog Saw" on Cesar Millian. In "Pitchman," Popeil's main premise is that, first and foremost, the product must be the protagonist. The way I related this to organizational change is that the purpose of organizational change must be the protagonist. The purpose of change is everything. If people don't understand the purpose of the change, the change will not have...half of paper...communicative intent. So Millan's secret is his ability to phase, to communicate with dogs in the language of posture and gestures. Likewise, one of the “secrets” of a leader is the ability to synchronize one's posture with one's intentions. Never underestimate subtle symbolic gestures. People are much more perceptive on a subliminal level than you could ever imagine. Phasing is a skill that organizational change agents must develop: they must learn that the delivery of a message is as important as its content. If you want to motivate a group to make substantial organizational change you must be sincere, act with the organization's best interests at heart, listen well, use phases and establish a sense of presence, because all eyes will be on you. The symbolism of your actions and movements can enhance or destroy your message and intent.