This then needs to be encapsulated in a powerful one or two sentence summary.Īll members of the coalition need to be fluent in both of these vision statements.

The vision needs to defined in such a way that it is capable of expression in a short “vision speech” that conveys the heart of the change in less than 5 minutes.

John Kotter recognises the importance of the emotional dimension and the energy that is generated by a “mastermind” group all working together.Ī drive for change without a clear focus will rapidly fizzle out unless you develop a clear vision of the future that is accompanied with a clear description about how things will be different in the future. The coalition will involve a wide representation of the formal and informal power-base within the organisation.īy working as a team, the coalition helps to create more momentum and build the sense of urgency in relation to the need for change. Managing change is not enough – change has to be led.īuilding the momentum for change requires a strong leadership and visible support from key people within your organisation. Results of analysis and early conclusions should be thoroughly tested with informed third party opinion and a wide cross section of all stakeholders. This can involve a full SWOT analysis, scenario planning and full deployment of all the strategic planning tools. This involves extensive internal dialogue regarding the market and competitor environments.

So a key early task is to develop a sense of urgency around the need for change. John Kotter introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, 'Leading Change.'Īs mentioned above, John Kotter suggests that for change to be successful, 75% of a company's management needs to support the change. So developing a sense of urgency around the need for change may help you spark the initial motivation to get things moving. John Kotter suggests that at least 75% of people wanting it creates a critical mass. John Kotter's highly regarded books 'Leading Change' (1995) and the follow-up 'The Heart Of Change' (2002) describe a popular and helpful model for understanding and managing change.Įach stage acknowledges a key principle identified by Kotter relating to people's response and approach to change, and in which people see, feel and then change.įor change to happen, it helps if a sufficient number of people within an organisation want it.

John kotter the heart of change