Step 1: Create Urgency
For change to happen, it helps if the whole company really wants it. Develop a sense of urgency around the need for change. This may help you spark the initial motivation to get things moving.
This isn 't simply a matter of showing people poor sales statistics or talking about increased competition. Open an honest and convincing dialogue about what 's happening in the marketplace and with your competition. If many people start talking about the change you propose, the urgency can build and feed on itself.
What you can do:
Identify potential threats, and develop scenarios showing what could happen in the future.
Examine opportunities that should be, or could be, exploited.
Start honest discussions, and give dynamic and convincing reasons to get people talking and thinking.
Request support from customers, outside stakeholders and industry people to strengthen your argument.
Note:
Kotter suggests that for change to be successful, 75 percent of a company 's management needs to "buy into" the change. In other words, you have to work really hard on Step 1, and spend significant time and energy building urgency, before moving onto the next steps. Don 't panic and jump in too fast because you don 't want to risk further short-term losses – if you act without proper preparation, you could be in for a very bumpy ride.
Step 2: Form a Powerful Coalition
Convince people that change is necessary. This often takes strong leadership and visible support from key people within your organization. Managing change isn 't enough – you have to lead it.
You can find effective change leaders throughout your organization – they don 't necessarily follow the traditional company hierarchy. To lead change, you need to bring together a coalition, or team, of influential people whose power comes from a variety of sources, including job title, status, expertise, and political importance.
Once formed,