The 8 Steps for Leading Change
Kotter’s award-winning methodology is the proven approach to producing lasting change.
The Framework
Over four decades, Dr. Kotter observed countless leaders and organizations as they were trying to transform or execute their strategies. He identified and extracted the common success factors and documented them as the 8 Steps for Leading Change.
Since the introduction of the 8 Steps, Dr. Kotter expanded his focus from research to impact with the founding of Kotter. Together with the firm, he evolved the linear 8 Step from Leading Change to the 8 Accelerators outlined in his 2014 book, Accelerate and the firm’s 2021 book, CHANGE.
Scroll to learn more about the dynamic 8 Accelerators for Change model.
Create A Sense of Urgency
Inspire people to act – with passion and purpose – to achieve a bold, aspirational opportunity. Build momentum that excites people to pursue a compelling (and clear) vision of the future… together.
Build A Guiding Coalition
A volunteer network needs a coalition of committed people – born of its own ranks – to guide it, coordinate it, and communicate its activities.
Form A Strategic Vision
Clarify how the future will be different from the past and get buy-in for how you can make that future a reality through initiatives linked directly to the vision.
Enlist A Volunteer Army
Large-scale change can only occur when massive numbers of people rally around a common opportunity. At an individual level, they must want to actively contribute. Collectively, they must be unified in the pursuit of achieving the goal together.
Enable Action By Removing Barriers
Remove the obstacles that slow things down or create roadblocks to progress. Clear the way for people to innovate, work more nimbly across silos, and generate impact quickly.
Generate Short-Term Wins
Wins are the molecules of results. They must be recognized, collected, and communicated – early and often – to track progress and energize volunteers to persist.
Sustain Acceleration
Press harder after the first successes. Your increasing credibility can improve systems, structures and policies. Be relentless with initiating change after change until the vision is a reality.
Institute Change
Articulate the connections between new behaviors and organizational success, making sure they continue until they become strong enough to replace old habits. Evaluate systems and processes to ensure management practices reinforce the new behaviors, mindsets, and ways of working you invested in.
The 8 Steps For Leading Change E-Book
Fill out the short form below to access a comprehensive eBook covering The 8-Step Process to Accelerate Change. This eBook will give you tools to lead change, a deeper introduction to Kotter’s change principles, and ideas to get started driving change at your organization today.
