Leading Change

In approaching the subject of change, Kotter acknowledges its complexity, building his guidance based on his deconstruction of how change functions and what undermines it. Leading Change opens with Kotter’s summary of common errors companies make in trying to enact change. Each error reflects a basic challenge inherent in any effort to implement change. Kotter thus does not overlook the discomfort and frustration of effecting change. Rather, he insists that his eight-stage process can minimize that friction. For example, inertia, or the tendency for complacent employees to remain complacent, as well as the default reliance on existing company culture and processes, make upheaval of old methods and traditions difficult for those leading a change effort. In identifying those challenges and outlining how to respond to them, Kotter makes clear that human nature and psychology play a substantial role.

In discussing the communication of vision, Kotter continues his emphasis on how the nature of change, as well as its challenges, tie into psychology. For example, he notes the importance of frequent repetition. Collective, brief restatement of the vision “is generally what is needed to win over both hearts and minds” (95).