Kurt Lewin limitations
John Kotter’s change model
The importance is change in business cannot be over stated, organizations are continuously battling with ever changing internal and external forces which have direct impact on the success or failure of a business. Often times change is required and the success of the change management is vital to the future, health and reputation of the business. Most changes are either underachieved or not completed within budget/time (Change, 2009)
John Kotter offers eight phases (Kotter, 2014) to follow when managing change process, these include:
Increase urgency: This entails exciting people to sign up to change by providing external evidence as to why change is required
Build the guiding team: Assemble a change group comprising of energetic, key, committed and powerful members working together to a team to drive home the change
Get the vision right: Create a vision and strategy initiatives to achieve this visionary change
Communicate for Buy-in: By Using effective examples and stories to sustain change alignment and engagement
Empowering actions: Remove obstacles that work against the achievement of the change
Create shot term wins: With constant tracking and evaluations, recognize and rewards small and large change accomplishments
Do not let up: Sustain change acceleration by constantly reinforcing change improvement behaviors
Make change stick: Anchor the change in every aspect of the organization
Strengths of Kotter’s change model
The step by step model ensures it is easy to follow, implement and achieve
As it involves engaging activities and focus is largely on buy-in the support of the various stake holders rather than the change itself. Their acceptance and preparedness for change, using this model, makes change transition easier to achieve and implement
The model structure ensures relevant feedback can be gotten from various groups as effective communication is used
It ensures all stakeholders concerns are heard and addressed
The importance is change in business cannot be over stated, organizations are continuously battling with ever changing internal and external forces which have direct impact on the success or failure of a business. Often times change is required and the success of the change management is vital to the future, health and reputation of the business. Most changes are either underachieved or not completed within budget/time (Change, 2009)
John Kotter offers eight phases (Kotter, 2014) to follow when managing change process, these include:
Increase urgency: This entails exciting people to sign up to change by providing external evidence as to why change is required
Build the guiding team: Assemble a change group comprising of energetic, key, committed and powerful members working together to a team to drive home the change
Get the vision right: Create a vision and strategy initiatives to achieve this visionary change
Communicate for Buy-in: By Using effective examples and stories to sustain change alignment and engagement
Empowering actions: Remove obstacles that work against the achievement of the change
Create shot term wins: With constant tracking and evaluations, recognize and rewards small and large change accomplishments
Do not let up: Sustain change acceleration by constantly reinforcing change improvement behaviors
Make change stick: Anchor the change in every aspect of the organization
Strengths of Kotter’s change model
The step by step model ensures it is easy to follow, implement and achieve
As it involves engaging activities and focus is largely on buy-in the support of the various stake holders rather than the change itself. Their acceptance and preparedness for change, using this model, makes change transition easier to achieve and implement
The model structure ensures relevant feedback can be gotten from various groups as effective communication is used
It ensures all stakeholders concerns are heard and addressed
References: Appelbaum, S., S. Habashy, J-L Malo, & H. Shafiq, (2012) ‘Back to the Future: Revisiting Kotter’s 1996 Change Model’, Journal of Management Development, 31 (8) pp.764-782 Change (2009), ‘Change Model 3: John Kotter’s 8 Steps of Leading Change, Available at: http://www.change-management-blog.com/2009/07/change-model-3-john-kotters-8-steps-of.html, (accessed 19/10/14) Hoogendoorn, R., (2013), ‘The Importance of Change Management (Group 2) Part 2’, Available at: http://www.adaptivecycle.nl/index.php?title=The_Importance_of_Change_Management_(Group_2)_Part_2, (accessed 19/10/14) Jones, M. L., (2010) ‘What Do Managers Do During Major Organisational Change’, In Proceedings of the 2010 IABR & ITLC Conference, Littleton, Co.: The Clute Institute for Academic Research, Available at: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1768&context=commpapers, (accessed 19/10/14) Kotter (2014), ‘The 8-Step Process for Leading Change’, Available at: http://www.kotterinternational.com/the-8-step-process-for-leading-change/, (accessed on: 19/10/14) Mind Tools, (2012) Lewin’s Change Management Model: Understanding the Three Stages of Change, Available at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_94.htm, (accessed 19/10/14)