Leading Change

Leading Change

John P. Kotter

Why Read It?

Kotter is regarded as one of the world's leading figures in change management. His article, "Leading Change," published in the March-April 1995 Harvard Business Review, quickly became the Review's best-selling reprint. Readers commented that its analysis defined the real problem of change management. They also found the 8-stage change framework "compelling." The book builds on the success of the article and includes dozens of examples of effective change management in action.

Getting Started

Kotter believes that successful change is based on an 8-stage process:

establishing a sense of urgency;

creating the guiding coalition;

developing a vision and strategy;

communicating the change vision;

empowering employees;

generating short-term wins;

consolidating gains and producing more change;

anchoring new approaches in the culture.

Contribution 1. Why Change Fails

Kotter opines that most business transformations fail because they do not meet the criteria set out in his 8-point plan. These omissions would not be important in a slower-moving world, but the volatile forces of competition mean companies must change to survive and prosper. He believes that the pace of change is driven by forces such as technological development, international economic integration, and the globalization of markets and competition.

The result, according to Kotter, is that there are either more opportunities or more hazards, depending on whether an organization can adapt or not. He then explains how successful change, the sort that enables companies to grasp opportunities, goes through the 8-stage process. He adds, however, that it is essential to go through all the stages in sequence. He also believes that change must be led, not managed.

2. A Sense of Urgency

Establishing a sense of urgency helps to get the cooperation needed for change. A committed group, Kotter argues, can drive change through. He suggests...