Back to the future: revisiting Kotter's - Dr. Steven H. Appelbaum ...

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(2) create a guiding coalition – assemble a group with power energy and influence
in the organization to lead the change;
(3) develop a vision and strategy – create a vision of what the change is about, tell
people why the change is needed and how it will be achieved;
(4) communicate the change vision – tell people, in every possible way and at
every opportunity, about the why, what and how of the changes;
(5) empower broad-based action – involve people in the change effort, get people
to think about the changes and how to achieve them rather than thinking about
why they do not like the changes and how to stop them;
(6) generate short-term wins – seeing the changes happening and working and
recognizing the work being done by people towards achieving the change is
critical;
(7) consolidate gains and produce more change – create momentum for change by
building on successes in the change, invigorate people through the changes,
develop people as change agents; and
(8) anchor new approaches in the corporate culture – this is critical to long-term
success and institutionalizing the changes. Failure to do so may mean that
changes achieved through hard work and effort slip away with people’s
tendency to revert to the old and comfortable ways of doing things.
The following sections critically discuss each of the eight steps.
Step 1: establish a sense of urgency
According to Kotter (1995), successful change efforts must begin with individuals
and groups evaluating a company’s “competitive situation, market position,
technological trends and financial performance”. Bold or risky actions normally
associated with good leadership are generally required for creating a strong sense
of urgency (Kotter, 1995, p. 43). Kotter (1995) further states that leaders must find
ways to communicate this information “broadly and dramatically”. He claims that the
first step is essential as the start of organizational changes require aggressive
cooperation of many individuals. This need for change must be understood;
otherwise, the change agents will not have enough “power and credibility to initiate
the required change program” (Kotter, 1997). Kotter (1996, p. 44) also recommends the
use of consultants as a tactic for creating a sense of urgency and challenge the status
quo. Armenakis et al. (1993) strengthen Kotter’s statement by suggesting the
recruitment of sources outside the organization, as they can reinforce the change
agent’s message.
A diagnostic report compiled by a consulting firm, for instance, can be utilized as a
tool to add credibility to the need for change message. A study by Gist et al. (1989)
supports the assertion that a message generated by more than one source, particularly
if external to the organization, is given a greater air of believability and confirmation.
The news media, for example, is also an external source that can be instrumental in
creating a sense of urgency and as a result, a readiness for change (Armenakis et al.,
1993). Radio and television broadcasts, magazines, and newspapers can all be sources
of information affecting employee knowledge and since such sources tend to have an
air of objectivity, they are often persuasive in the creation of readiness for change
(Armenakis et al., 1993). However, this information is not easily managed by the