Leading Change – Will We Ever Master the Art of Managing Transitions?

“The only thing constant in life is change.”

Everyone has heard this saying before, but have we really mastered the art of managing the transitions needed to implement change? If change takes place in all aspects of our lives, how many times do we have to experience it before we learn to successfully manage these transitions? Implementing change in the workplace can be one of the hardest feats to achieve, especially in an organization deeply rooted in their current culture. The trouble lies not in realizing that the current culture is not the most effective, but in facing the unknown that comes with forming a new way of being.

John P. Kotter studied several organizations attempting to transform their company’s culture and policies. As a result of his research, he designed the “8 Steps to Transforming Your Organization” action plan. In his outline, he established all of the steps needed to implement change in a business— successfully. Kotter also shared his observations of some common mistakes made during each step’s implementation. Learning about his research can help one to shorten the learning curve associated with transforming an organization.

Throughout his model, Kotter reiterates the importance of understanding that true, lasting change will take time. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on each individual step, and making sure that one sets one’s organization up for success. Success will have different meanings to people in the organization, so leadership has to make sure they align everyone in the company with their respective metrics, connecting the dots to what role each person has to play in creating the shared vision. Celebrate your successes, but not prematurely. Leadership has to encourage and energize the organization by celebrating the short-term wins, while also instilling the sense that there is always more work to do—the journey is not over. In fact, the journey is not over until the new culture becomes normal, until the entire organization has transformed, and the changes become “the way we do things around here.”

What key lessons have you learned in navigating change in your own life?  Within an organization?  Please share your nuggets of wisdom.