1

8-Step Change Process

Kotter, John (March-April 1995) Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail Harvard Business Review

2

Step 1: Increase Urgency

Showing others the need for change with a compelling object that they can actually see, touch, and feelShowing people valid and dramatic evidence from outside the organisation that demonstrates that change is requiredLooking constantly for cheap and easy ways to reduce complacencyNever underestimating how much complacency, fear, and anger exists, even in good organisations

3

Step 2: Build the Guiding Team

Showing enthusiasm and commitment (or helping someone to do so) to help draw the right people into the groupModelling the trust and teamwork needed in the group (or helping someone to do that)Structuring meeting formats for the guiding team so as to minimize frustration and increase trustPutting your energy into Step 1 (raising urgency) if you cannot take on the Step 2 challenge and if the right people will not participate

4

Step 3: Get the Vision Right

Trying to see – literally – possible futuresVisions that are so clear that they can be articulated in one minute or written up on one pageVisions that are moving – such as a commitment to serving peopleStrategies that are convincing enough to make bold visions seem possiblePaying careful attention to the strategic question of how quickly to introduce change

5

Step 4: Communicate for Buy-In

Keeping communication simple and heartfelt, not complex and technicalDoing your homework before communicating, especially to understand what people are feelingSpeaking to anxieties, confusion, anger, and distrustClearing communication channels of junk so that important messages can go throughUsing new technologies to help people see the vision (internet, intranet, video etc)

6

Step 5: Empower

Finding individuals with change experience who can bolster people’s self-confidence with can-do anecdotesRecognition and reward systems that inspire, promote optimism, and build self-confidenceFeedback that can help people make better vision-related decisionsDeveloping “disempowering” people and giving them examples that clearly show the need for change

7

Step 6: Create Short-term wins

Early wins that come fastWins that are as visible as possible to as many people Wins that penetrate emotional defences by being unambiguousWins that are meaningful to others, especially clients – the more deeply meaningful the betterEarly wins that speak to powerful players whose support you need and do not yet haveWins that can be achieved cheaply and easily, even if they seem small compared with the grand vision

8

Step 7: Don’t Let Up

Aggressively clearing yourself of work that wears you down – tasks that were relevant in the past but not now, tasks that can be delegatedLooking constantly for ways to keep urgency up Using new situations opportunistically to launch the next wave of changeAs always – tell, demonstrate, show tangible results

9

Step 8: Make Change Stick

Not stopping at Step 7 – it isn’t over until the changes have rootsUsing new employee orientation to compellingly show recruits what the organisation really cares aboutUsing the promotions process to place people who act accordingly to the new norms into influential and visible positionsTelling vivid stories over and over about the new organisation, what it does, and why it succeedsMaking absolutely sure you have the continuity of behaviour and results that help a new culture grow