Leading organisational change: Kotter's 8 steps
Step 1 / 3·Kotter's eight steps
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Learn the eight steps of leading organisational change
- Map stakeholders by influence and support
- Build an effective guiding coalition
Kotter's eight steps
Learn the roadmap for leading organisational change.
ADKAR describes ONE PERSON's journey. John Kotter's model describes LEADING a whole organisation through change. They complement each other: Kotter gives you the overall roadmap, ADKAR gives you the individual diagnostic.
The eight steps and their real purpose
| Step | What it is | The real purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Create urgency | Show why change is needed NOW | Break complacency — the most superficially done step |
| 2. Build a guiding coalition | Gather influential supporters | Change can't be pushed by one person |
| 3. Form a vision & strategy | A clear, short picture of the future | Sayable in one minute, understandable by anyone |
| 4. Communicate the vision | Repeat across many channels | Communicate ten times more than you think is enough |
| 5. Empower action | Remove barriers, fix blocking systems | Don't ask people to change while keeping the old KPIs |
| 6. Generate short-term wins | Visible results in 3–6 months | Feeds belief and sustains momentum |
| 7. Consolidate and keep going | Don't declare victory too early | The classic mistake: celebrate then let go |
| 8. Anchor in the culture | Bake into process, hiring, appraisal | Without anchoring, it reverts within 12 months |
The two most commonly botched steps
STEP 1 (urgency): many leaders think one email does it. Genuine urgency needs concrete data and clear consequences of standing still. STEP 7 (don't declare victory early): celebrating after a short-term win and then pulling resources is why so many changes get 'almost there' and dissolve.
Key takeaway: Kotter gives the organisational roadmap; the two most botched steps are creating urgency and declaring victory too early.