Introduction to Kotter's 8-Step Change Model
Implementing Change Powerfully and Successfully
What is Kotter’s 8-step change model?
Dr. John P. Kotter created the John Kotter change management model. His background in business administration and the science of management laid the groundwork for Kotter’s eight-step change model and Kotter consulting, his business consulting firm.
Where some change models take a bottom-up approach and focus on employee perspective to change, the John Kotter 8-step change model takes a more top-down approach. It is also hyper-focused on creating and maintaining a sense of urgency.
So, what is Kotter’s 8-step change model?
The John Kotter change management model includes the following methodologies:
The Change Process: 8-Steps to change
Change Principals: 4 principals to guide change
Kotter’s 8-step process is designed to ensure change managers have created the right environment to effect change, develop the support they need to make the change happen, and keep the momentum going throughout the change, so things don’t stall.
Businesses adopting Kotter’s 8 stage model, will find the stages fairly straight forward, which is a benefit for those new to change management.
Why is John Kotter’s 8-Step Model so Popular?
The Kotter 8-step model is popular because it offers an easy-to-understand roadmap that change managers can follow, even if they’re new to change. Each step describes exactly what needs to happen to keep a change project on track.
John Kotter’s 8-step model focuses on the enthusiasm that one must generate, especially within the firm’s leadership, to make change happen. It lays out eight steps that take you through the process of initiating, managing, and sustaining change.
The Kotter change management model is used by many organizations going through a change in their company, whether it’s a change of location, processes, or business tools.
Advantages of Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model
The correct use of John Kotter’s 8 step change model has a few attractive benefits for organizations and managers. The most important motivators to implement the model are listed below.
John Kotter’s 8-step change model is very simple and can be applied step by step. It gives a clear description of what should happen in each stage of the change process.
The emphasis in this model is on the commitment and well-being of the employees. According to the model, that is key is the resolution and the success of the project.
How to Implement Change with Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model
Dr. Kotter developed his change model after observing numerous leaders and organizations before, during, and after the process of transforming or executing their strategies. The Kotter Change Model breaks down organizational change leadership into the following change management steps:
1. Create a sense of urgency
The adage “If it ain’t broke, don't fix it” seems to dominate the culture of many organizations. As such, all effective change must presented as the solution to a problem. Your business can achieve this as you:
Assess any potential threats that could arise in the near or distant future. These threats could involve assessing changes in technology, advancements of your competition, changes in market demand, etc.
Address potential opportunity that your company could capitalize on.
Begin a candid dialogue where you’re given a chance to explain your vision convincingly, while giving an opportunity for stakeholders to voice concerns and think openly about your proposal.
Seek support from stakeholders, customers, and influential industry leaders to strengthen your standing.
2. Form a powerful coalition
To lead the charge on a big company change, you will need allies and stakeholders. Having other visible company members united behind your vision sends a powerful message and quickly helps spread support. Try one of these proven methods of doing this:
Identify the key change leaders and stakeholders in your organization, and ask for their support in implementing your vision.
Create a coalition that consistently and publicly operates as a team.
Assess the weak areas of the coalition, and compensate by involving many members from across various departments and company levels. Having diversity across the job title and level will help distribute the strength of the vision across the myriad positions within your company.
3. Create a vision for change
The change process began because you had a vision for how things could and should be done differently. Making that vision clear and understandable is paramount to achieving the change you desire. Use visuals to map out processes and systems to see what's working and what’s not—they can help you establish urgency and create a clear vision for change.
As part of this process, you must also:
Identify the core values you want to embody in your change.
Develop a mission statement, or one to two sentences that capture the most important parts of the future you envision.
Create a logical strategy for executing that vision.
Make sure stakeholders and members of your coalition can communicate that vision clearly and concisely.
Rehearse the mission and vision statement by reciting them often.
4. Communicate the vision
Your organization probably has lots of communication that you will be in competition with. For this reason, it’s not enough to just email your vision or share it with your organization members. To effectively institute the change, you must repeat it every chance you get and also demonstrate the behavior that you wish to see. To do this, you must:
Speak convincingly and persuasively about your vision often.
Tie your vision to everything within your company, from operations to company morale, and tie everything back to your vision.
Share the visuals you’ve created in the previous step to clearly demonstrate the differences between current state and future state.
Confront people’s concerns and anxieties, publicly and candidly.
5. Remove obstacles
As you’ve undoubtedly encountered by this point, resistance to change is to be expected. To gain momentum for your vision, you must give yourself your best chance by taking the initiative to remove obstacles to adopting your new idea. To do that, you must:
Find industry leaders to reinforce the value of your change by delivering on it.
Assess the layout of your organization and ensure that your vision is aligned with the various levels of the organization, and vice versa.
Identify those most resistant to your change and work to remove their concerns, or create proactive solutions around their resistance.
Reward and recognize those who support and implement change in its early phase.
6. Create short-term wins
Change is implemented not just by a spark, but by a consistent current. Building momentum for your vision is essential to making sure it sticks. Short-term victories are great motivators for those who are working on your new vision and are a great way to combat any naysayers or critics of your vision. Here are some ways to do this:
Find short-term projects that aren’t costly and don’t require sign off from any potential opposition.
Carefully select the right project or target—failing at an early goal can undermine the value of your proposed change.
Reward the team members who are essential in meeting targets.
7. Build on the change
Early victories, while great for beginning the change, are not enough to sustain the change. Quick wins may deceive you or your teammates that the process of change is complete, but true change must be settled with repetition and expansion. To build on change, you must:
Analyze what went right and what went wrong after each victory.
Set gradually more ambitious goals that can build exponential momentum upon achievement.
Bring on additional influential stakeholders or change agents.
8. Anchor the changes in corporate culture
The final step to your change process is ensuring that it is embedded into your company culture. Time, changes in leadership, and changes in staff can evaporate the impact of your change quickly and easily. To ensure that your change remains part of the company culture:
Talk about progress at every opportunity possible. Share stories about success from your change vision, and repeat stories from others.
Continue to recognize key coalition and change members, creating opportunities to honor their contribution and their legacy to the change you envisioned.
Instill the core values of your change into every new hire and in your orientation process.
Gain buy-in early on from all new leadership in order to sustain the legacy of the leaders before them in your succession plan.
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