Kotter’s Change Model
The Kotter’s change model is a product of research that was carried by Dr. John Kotter after observing various leaders and organizations and how they managed change management and execution strategies. It was through the research that Dr. Kotter identified successful factors which he later used to develop the 8-steps that are essential effective change management (Kotter & von Ameln, 2019). Change management refers to the process that assists ease any organizational transition and thus helping people know how to change (Tang, 2019). One of the models that have been effective in ensuring a smooth transition in the change process is Kotter’s change theory. Kotter’s change model is an 8-step process that explains the course of action that should be taken to ensure that organizations change effectively. The model is broad and covers topics such as communication, planning, team building, senior leadership sponsorship, reward systems, organizational behavior, and influence and negotiation.
Tang (2019) outlined the eight-steps in Kotter’s change model as follows:
- Step One – Create a sense of urgency
- Step Two – Create the guiding coalition
- Step Three – Form a strategic vision and initiatives
- Step Four – Communicate the vision
- Step Five – Remove obstacles
- Step Six – Identify and establish short-term wins
- Step Seven – Consolidate improvements
- Step Eight – Anchor the changes
The first stage of the model includes creating a sense of urgency, and this is the most important because it entails making the team or the employees aware that there is a need for change. The best way to initiate this first step is by creating dialogues with the team regarding the potential threats. The leader in this stage is required to make bold and aspirational statements about an opportunity and the significance of acting immediately. This is then followed by the second step, which involves establishing a project team that will be responsible for managing the changes the organization wants to implement. The group will primarily be tasked with efforts aimed towards driving the change and encouraging the employees to commit to the constructive approach. At the same time, the selected group is responsible for step three, which is creating vision strategies for managing change. Lambert (2018) stated that creating a clear vision helps everyone to understand the determined and defined goal and how to access the vision hence creating cohesion. The fourth step entails the project team communicating the vision to the employees hence fostering support and acceptance among the team. However, Lambert (2018), argued that communicating the visions should be understood as a two-way process where the leaders allow the subordinates to offer feedback.
The fifth step is removing the obstacles, and it is about removing any barrier like inefficient processes structures that mind be a barrier to employees’ commitment levels. This step aims at creating the freedom necessary to work across the organization, and that helps at generating real impact. The sixth step is creating short-term wins. Rewards are incentives that motivate employees to commit to the identified vision through the realization that adhering to the designed course bears profits (Tang, 2019). The seventh step is consolidating improvements, which helps in sustaining acceleration. The step allows the leading team to analyze the change process so far, and the necessary changes that can be made to make the change effective. The eighth and the last step is anchoring the change and creating a new corporate culture.
Kotter’s model is used widely in various disciplines, and this is because it is an easy step by step approach that offers a clear guidance description of the change process. The latest development in the selected model is the significance of feedback through the stages of change. Lambert (2018) argued that the original proposition did not incorporate the importance of feedback from the overall team, yet they are the key agents of change. Lambert (2018) thus suggested that once the vision is communicated in the organization, the project team should focus on getting feedback from the operational team to increase commitment while eliminating overlooked obstacles. The model is significant to practice in general because it realizes that change is a disruptive process, and there is a need to prepare the employees for the change (Chebbi et al., 2019). It is because of this that the first two steps are the most significant in Kotter’s change model. The approach is applicable when trying to introduce a new culture in an organization such as the use of new technology for interdepartmental collaboration, or it can also be used when altering organizational behavior to reduce waste of resources.
References
Chebbi, H., Yahiaoui, D., Sellami, M., Papasolomou, I., & Melanthiou, Y. (2019). Focusing on internal stakeholders to enable the implementation of organizational change towards corporate entrepreneurship: A case study from France. Journal Of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.003
Kotter, J., & von Ameln, F. (2019). Agility, hierarchy and lessons for the future. John Kotter on the legacy and future of Change Management. Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. Zeitschrift Für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO), 50(2), 111-114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11612-019-00461-5
Lambert, D. (2018). Addressing Challenges to Homeland Security Information Sharing in American Policing: Using Kotter’s Leading Change Model. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 30(8), 1250-1278. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403418786555
Tang, K. (2019). Change Management. Leadership And Change Management, 47-55. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8902-3_5