That's Not How We Do It Here!

A Story About How Organizations Rise, Fall – and Can Rise Again

By: John Kotter, Holger Rathgeber

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, John Kotter

Penguin presents the audio edition of That's Not How We Do It Here! by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber, read by Bahni Turpin and John Kotter.

Includes a downloadable PDF of diagrams.

That's Not How We Do It Here! is a business parable about a clan of meerkats who live in the Kalahari. Well organised and efficient, the colony enjoys many years of successful growth, until it suddenly comes under threat from a new form of predator and is forced to rethink its organizational structure.

John Kotter uses this charming parable to explore why organizations often struggle no matter their past success, and why they fall.

Kotter shows that by embracing reliability, efficiency, speed and agility, and building passion, discipline and personal growth, organizations can once again prosper, fulfil their mission, create great jobs and services and generate wealth.

Critic reviews

This remarkable parable shows us how we re "safer" in changing times when we innovate!

A meerkat falling prey to the unexpected attack of a vulture doesn't keep many leaders up at night. But the unanticipated assault of new competitor, or a fundamental shift in the operating environment, can evoke an almost paralyzing fear in the most successful organizations. This simple parable of furry mammals facing the challenge of adapting to threat offers real insights into the journey so many of us must make. Brilliant!

It works. And not just for meerkats.

John Kotter does it again. His use of metaphor helps readers distill down to the fundamental requirements for a high-performing organization: tapping the hearts and minds of team members in service to a compelling purpose. Leadership enables this, and in doing so unlocks tremendous creativity and potential.

Kotter and Rathgeber's ability to impart clear lessons via fable is as strong as ever

Really good story and reflections

The fable is narrated by a weird voice, but by the end it makes sense.
Good reflections

Good concept, but poor narration

I was shocked by the thick accent in the narration of this book. I tried very hard to work through it but it significantly hindered my ability to consume the book. I ended up purchasing physical copy of the book instead. Very disappointed that such a thick and unusual accent was sold in the US market.

How you read it?

I didn’t dislike the voice of the reader and a fable made me get lost in trying to keep up with the fable.

Great fable, annoying voice/accent

I enjoy a fable type educational book but really did not enjoy the voice actor/readers voice or accent used. Speaking like someone from the Kalahari does not make this fable seem more authentic.

The summary at the end was very helpful

I had trouble understanding the story narrator. I listened all the way through, hoping I could grasp some of the concepts. While I was not able to do that, I was very happy that there was a summary at the end.