LEADING CHANGE: WHY TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS FAIL Page 1

Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail
Lynda Greene
MMOL 601A
Dr. Toni Pauls
October 23, 2012

Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail Page 2
Summary of Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail John Kotter, a former professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School, has studied both success and failure in change initiatives in business. “The most general lesson to be learned from the more successful cases is that the change process goes through a series of phases that, in total, usually require a considerable length of time. Skipping steps creates only the illusion of speed and never produces satisfactory results” and “making critical …show more content…

Implement the diagnosis.” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257)
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The case study does not clearly state when the vision is implemented or started. However, it does state that “If you can’t communicate the vision to someone in five minutes or less and get a reaction that signifies both understanding and interest, you are not yet done with this phase of the transformation process.” (HBR, 2007) Stage Four in the case study is communicate the vision. Summarized it is a follows:
“Great visions are nothing if they cannot be communicated. Thus use of story/metaphor, multiple media (/people), simplicity and repetition, and leading by example all apply.” (slooowdown.wordpress.com) This corresponds to the textbook’s Step Ten, in the Commitment Building Section:
“Communicate the change vision to the appropriate people who can impact or will be impacted by the changes, educate them on the change process, involve them when appropriate in the change process, and address their concerns and suggestions.” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257) Empower others to act on the vision is Stage Five of the case study. It can be summarized as “remove or alter systems or structures undermining the vision and encourage risk taking and nontraditional ideas, activities and actions.” (HBR, 2007) The textbook similarities are Stage Two—Implementation, which is also the Managed Change section. Steps 11 – 13 are: “11. Educate and train the key