The Eight Stage Process of Creating Major Change

Derived from the writings of Professor John Kotter
​Written by: District President Dr. Steinbronn

One of the more helpful books in recent years that addressed the topic of change and the dynamics connected with change was written by Harvard professor John Kotter titled “The Eight Stage Process of Creating Major Change.”  

Here are the eight stages that Professor Kotter identified that are connected with implementing major change within an organization or ministry:

1. Establishing a sense of urgency
2. Creating the guiding coalition
3. Developing a vision and strategy
4. Communicating the change vision
5. Empowering broad-based action
6. Generating short-term wins
7. Consolidating gains and producing more change
8. Anchoring new approaches in the culture

 Most helpful to accomplishing major change were these observations:

• The first four stages in the transformation process help defrost a hardened status quo
• Stages five to seven then introduce many new practices
• Stage eight grounds the changes and helps make them stick
• Fruitful change of any magnitude goes through all eight stages
• Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles; consequently, leadership
• Establishes direction and develops a vision of the future, along with the strategies for producing the changes needed to achieve that vision
• Aligns people and communicates direction in words and deeds to all those whose cooperation may be needed so as to influence the creation of teams and coalitions that understand the vision/strategies and that accept their validity
• Motivates and inspires; along with enabling people to overcome major internal and resource barriers to change
• Major change is never successful unless the complacency level is low and the urgency high