Charles Darwin said: "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." Could this be any truer in today’s business world than it was over 150 years ago when Mr. Darwin was speaking of the natural world? We have all witnessed giant companies that seemed impenetrable fail; and we have seen brilliant ideas that should have taken off miss the mark.
And we’ve also watched small businesses or “crazy” ideas that shouldn’t have grown do surprisingly well. At the turn of the millennium, some entrepreneurs could see that the rate of change in their industries was escalating; and they understood that adapting to change was quickly becoming the number one component in ensuring success. Rather than fighting it, they adapted. We know we resist change because it takes us out of our comfort zone, but change can be invigorating, profitable, and frankly, necessary to survival. Most of us now accept that the notion that things never stay the same for long; and we understand that the ability to lead in times of change is vital. That is why Dr. John Kotter’s Eight-Step Model to Implement Change, developed over 30 years of research, is such an important model for business leaders.
Kotter’s Eight-Step Model to Implement Change *
1. Create a Sense of Urgency - help others understand the need for change, now.
2. Enlist a Guiding Team – bring together a small, strong group of champions to steer the change.
3. Develop the Vision and Strategy for the New Reality - clarify how the future will be different from the past and the steps to get there.
4. Communicate Why – others have to understand why to buy in, or they won’t.
5. Empower Others to Act - remove all possible barriers so that those who want to make the vision a reality can do so.
6. Pick Some Low-Hanging Fruit – create some short-term wins as quickly as possible to demonstrate that this change is possible.
7. Don’t Let Up – keep the successes rolling without delay; press change with more change until the ultimate vision is achieved
8. Create a New Culture – reinforce the new ways of behaving to permanently replace old traditions and processes.
Your first challenge in becoming adaptable? You need to stop thinking of yourself as a t-shirt guy or a hair styling gal; you need to be a business guy or gal. And knowing the eight steps to implementing change is what will make you just that.
* http://www.kotterinternational.com/our-principles/changesteps/changesteps
Monday, June 17, 2013
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