KOTTERS 8 STEPS FOR CHANGE

 
 
 

Harvard professor Dr. John P Kotter is one of the world's foremost in organizational change. Here is a description of his "Eight steps of Change" - eight critical steps to succeed in large-scale organizational change

 
Harvard professor Dr. John P Kotter is one of the world's foremost in organizational change. As early as 1996, he wrote the book "Leading Change", which became an international bestseller. In the book, he describes eight critical steps to succeed in large-scale organizational change. The follow-up book "The Heart of Change" contains the results of a follow-up study that confirms the strength and importance of the eight steps. Feel free to read both books for a deeper understanding of the meaning of the eight steps.

In addition, it turned out that successful change work is more about making people feel and act differently rather than making them think in a new way. Commitment to the new comes through emotional aha experiences rather than logical analysis.
 
Here is a summary of John P. Kotter's eight steps to successful change
 
Step 1 - Increase the sense of urgency
Many change projects are stillborn in an environment of satisfied employees. Without an understanding that change is necessary, the attention and sacrifices needed will not be made. Step one is therefore to increase the feeling of impending danger. That change from the present is necessary and urgent.
 
Step 1 - Increase the sense of urgency
Harvard professor Dr. John P Kotter is one of the world's foremost in organizational change. As early as 1996, he wrote the book "Leading Change", which became an international bestseller. In the book, he describes eight critical steps to succeed in large-scale organizational change. The follow-up book "The Heart of Change" contains the results of a follow-up study that confirms the strength and importance of the eight steps. Feel free to read both books for a deeper understanding of the meaning of the eight steps.

In addition, it turned out that successful change work is more about making people feel and act differently rather than making them think in a new way. Commitment to the new comes through emotional aha experiences rather than logical analysis.
 
Here is a summary of John P. Kotter's eight steps to successful change
 
 
John P. Kotter's change plan - different steps
 

Create the a change platform

 
Step 1 - Increase the sense of urgency
Many change projects are stillborn in an environment of satisfied employees. Without an understanding that change is necessary, the attention and sacrifices needed will not be made. Step one is therefore to increase the feeling of impending danger. That change from the present is necessary and urgent.
 
Step 2 - Build a strong guiding coalition
Without a strong management team, with the right combination of skills and power, the change project will have difficulties in getting started in the right way and keeping up with the pace and scope of the organizational / attitude change. The management team must also gain a group trust that allows contradictions to be openly and honestly discussed, in order to be able to guide the change in the best way.
 
Is there a lack of a powerful management team? Focus on redoing step 1…
 
Step 3 - Create an inspiring vision
The vision of the new must be emotionally attractive, challenge to transformative change and at the same time properly thought out. To develop such a vision requires an open and honest discussion in the management team and a focus on the best interests of all stakeholders.
 
Hard to find the vision? Make sure to build trust by making step 2 more thorough…
 

Engage the organization

 
Step 4 - Communicate broadly for engagement
Many companies that failed with change projects undercommunicated the vision by a factor of 10 or 100. In those cases, a good vision drowns in the flood of information and emergency work that is commonplace in most organizations today. Step four is thus about successful and comprehensive communication and the extremely important thing to "live as you learn" (that the decisions and activities that come from the management level do not run counter to the vision you are trying to communicate).
 
Step 5 - Strengthen the opportunities to act
Ofta finns det hinder i den befintliga organisationen mot att förverkliga den nya visionen. Många gamla strukturer eller tankemönster kan hindra medarbetare från att agera mot den nya visionen. Här är målet att transformera hinder till stöd när människor uppmanas att agera på nya, bättre sätt.
 
Step 6 - Create "short-term vins"
Planning for the short-term wins must start early. Winnings within 12-18 months and then 6-12 months later that show that "we are on the right path", gives a feeling of reward, encourages new times and keeps the cynics in check.
 

Push forward and anchor

 
Step 7 - Celebrate and push forward
When a larger step has been passed, there is a great risk in celebrating the (partial) victory too great. The effect can be that everyone finally feels that they can breathe a sigh of relief, and suddenly the whole pace of change has lost momentum dramatically. Instead, it is a matter of using the power of partial victory to initiate new, even greater changes.
 
Step 8 - Anchor the changes
In order for the implemented attitude and behavior change to be lasting long after the CEO and management team have disappeared, the change needs to be anchored in the company's (invisible) culture. Something that is difficult, but which with the right focus is clearly feasible.