Change

To rapidly and effectively implement major change within in an organization, a CHANGE METHODOLOGY, STRATEGIES, and LEVERAGE MECHANISMS are necessary. 

In 1996, Harvard professor John P. Kotter wrote a book entitled “Leading Change“ which quickly became a classic as it introduced a concise, and very practical 8-step METHODOLOGY for change leadereship as shown below:

  1. ESTABLISH A SENSE OF URGENCY
  2. CRAFT THE GUIDING COALITION
  3. DEVELOP A VISION AND STRATEGY
  4. COMMUNICATE THE CHANGE VISION
  5. EMPOWER BROAD-BASED ACTION
  6. GENERATE SHORT-TERM WINS
  7. CONSOLIDATE GAINS AND PRODUCE MORE CHANGE
  8. ANCHOR NEW APPROACHES IN CULTURE

This complemented earlier work by Kotter, including a paper he had written for Harvard Business Review, entitled “Choosing Strategies for Change” in which the STRATEGIES for dealing with various types of resistance to change are reviewed.  To choose the appropriate strategy for change, Kotter proposes a 3-Step approach as shown below:

  1. DIAGNOSE RESISTANCE
    • parochial self-interest
    • misunderstanding and lack of trust
    • different assessment
    • low tolerance for change
  2. DEAL WITH RESISTANCE - STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE
    • education and communication
    • participation and involvement 
    • facilitation and support
    • negotiation and agreement
    • manipulation and co-option
    • explicit and implicit coercion
  3. CHOICE OF STRATEGY - SITUATIONAL FACTORS
    • amount and type of resistance
    • position of initiator vs. resistor
    • locus of data and energy
    • status of those involved

Last, but definitely not least, to implement change in the shortest time possible and with the expenditure of least resources, change constraints should be acted upon by catalytic, LEVERAGE MECHANISMS such as:

  1. THE TIPPING POINT

These three concepts will be discussed in further posts.