1.5 - About University

5.2 L EADING M A JOR C HANGE IN Y OUR O RGANIZATIONInspired by John Kotter, David Ulrich, Jack Zenger, Norm Smallwood, and Karl Weick.Nothing demands that leaders truly lead like large-scale change within a department or organization.This tool provides an essential framework for leading major change. In his best-seller,Leading Change, John Kotter defined an Eight-Stage Process of Creating Major Change, adaptedhere.Change success stage1. Establish a sense ofurgency.result = a shared need2. Create a guidingcoalition.result = accountability3. Develop a vision andstrategy.result = anticipation4. Communicate thechange vision andstrategy.result = commitment5. Clear the way forbroad-based action.result = systemic alignment6. Generate andrecognizing smallwins.result = momentum7. Consolidate the smallwins.result = a culture of success8. Anchor the newapproaches in theculture and systems.result = sustained change✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔What to do …Complacency, often crudely described as being “fat and happy,” is the enemy of change.The hardest systems to change are those perceived to be working adequately: If it ain’tbroke, don’t fix it. (Would you want to fly with an airline with that motto?) Leaders needto create a sense of urgency that drives the need for change. Two typical urgency issues arecompetition and financial issues. Keep in mind that what resonates with senior managementmay not with frontline workers.Change starts at the top, but needs to be widely led. Establish a cross-organizational teamto lead the change, along with a strong and committed leader. This team should containboth commitment leaders (the heart side of change) and strategic leaders (the head side).People are inspired by vision. People don’t get excited about what they don’t understand.Write a vision and strategy for change so that it passes the 5-minute test. If you cannotclearly state the vision and strategy of the change in 5 minutes, you will lose people andenergy. Everyone needs to know What? Why? and How?Use every means you can to communicate why and what the change is about. Thestandard advertising dictum is that it takes hearing a communication seven times beforepeople become clearly aware of what you are talking about. Also, a more subtle form ofcommunication must take place: All leaders must model the change they expect in others.One “Aw, shit” wipes out one thousand “Way to go’s.” For example, if you are introducingcost reduction and the change leaders are not scrupulously cost conscious themselves, cynicismwill reign.Look at the change systemically. Most change fails not because it wasn’t the right thing todo, but because interacting systems impeded the change. Recognize thatcurrent systems are set up to maintain the status quo. Encourage new ideas and risk-takingwithin the strategic framework. Light many fires of change across theorganization.How do you eat an elephant? One bite at the time. When the change is large, set manyshort-term mileposts, and celebrate their achievement. Recognize behavior and results thatare aligned with the change. Recognize people who dismantle barriers to the change.Success builds more success. Results build from results. Use the credibility of small wins tocontinue the push to the big win—the overall change. Measure and build a feeling ofprogress toward the vision.What you want people to say about the new change is, “This is the way things are donearound here.” Connect the change with organizational success. Align all systems with thechange.Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business School Press. From Leading Change by John P. Kotter. Boston MA. 1996, p. 21. Copyright 1996 by thePresident and Fellows of Harvard College; all rights reserved.142 SECTION 5 TOOLS FOR LEADING CHANGE