Kotter 8-Steps Change Check

John Kotter's 8-stage model is the classic for organizational change processes. Each stage builds on the previous one — skip one and the change fails.

John P. Kotter Leading Change (1996)

The 8 stages of change

Kotter analyzed more than 100 change initiatives and found: 70% fail. The most common mistake: skipping stages. His model describes a sequential process in which each stage lays the foundation for the next.

  1. Create urgency — without felt urgency, nobody moves
  2. Build a guiding coalition — change needs a powerful alliance, not just the CEO
  3. Develop a vision — a clear picture of the future you can explain in 5 minutes
  4. Communicate the vision — communicate 10x more than you think necessary
  5. Remove obstacles — structures, processes, and people standing in the way
  6. Short-term wins — visible wins in 6-18 months, not in 3 years
  7. Sustain acceleration — do not let up after quick wins, accelerate
  8. Anchor change in the culture — new behaviors become "how we do things around here"

Change readiness check

Rate your current change initiative at each stage (1 = not present, 5 = fully implemented)

Does the organization understand why change is necessary right now?

Weak Strong 3

Is there a strong group of supporters with influence and commitment?

Weak Strong 3

Is there a clear, compelling picture of the future?

Weak Strong 3

Is the vision communicated consistently and across all channels?

Weak Strong 3

Are structural barriers actively being cleared out of the way?

Weak Strong 3

Are there visible, quick wins that build momentum?

Weak Strong 3

After initial wins, does the work on change continue consistently?

Weak Strong 3

Are the new behaviors firmly anchored in the corporate culture?

Weak Strong 3

Inspiriert von John P. Kotter — 8-Step Change Model

Applied to

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Trivia

  • Kotter was the youngest professor ever to receive tenure at Harvard Business School — at the age of 33.
  • "Leading Change" (1996) is considered one of the most influential management books of all time.
  • Kotter extended his model in 2014 with a "dual operating system" — hierarchy and network in parallel.
  • The most common trap: after initial quick wins (stage 6), declaring victory too soon and letting up.
  • Kotter estimates that 70% of all change initiatives fail — mostly at stage 1 (lack of urgency).