I recently read Leading Change by John Kotter. It has become something of a classic among management books. He starts by listing eight reasons why major organisational change initiatives fail. He then goes on to give his eight point plan for leading change. The process he recommends is:
- Establish a Sense of Urgency
- Create a Guiding Coalition
- Develop a Vision and Strategy
- Communicate the Change Vision
- Empower Employees for broad-based Action
- Generate Short-Term Wins
- Consolidate Gains and Produce more Change
- Anchor the New Approahces in the Corporate Culture
He clearly explains the why and how for each point and stresses the importance of following this procedure in sequence and of not omitting any steps. Both leadership and management is needed in the process and he shows their different roles. The book is easy to read and the arguments are cogent. There are many examples and stories – though no proper case studies. Overall it is a highly valuable guide to the tough challenge of leading change.
Paul Sloane
