Kotter’s 8 Steps: A Proven Framework for Leading Change

Change is constant, but successful change is not. Many organizations struggle to implement new initiatives, align their teams, or sustain transformation over time. Dr. John Kotter, a leading authority on leadership and change at Harvard Business School, developed a practical and widely used framework to address this: 

Kotter’s 8 Step Process for Leading Change.

This model helps leaders move from vision to execution, building momentum and engagement throughout the change journey.

What Is Kotter’s 8 Step Model?

Kotter’s model provides a structured, people centered roadmap for implementing change. Unlike traditional change management processes that focus on systems and structure, Kotter’s approach emphasizes leadership, communication, and cultural alignment.

Here are the eight steps:

1. Create a Sense of Urgency
   Help people see why change is necessary. Use data, trends, or customer feedback to highlight the risks of inaction and the opportunities ahead.

2. Build a Guiding Coalition
   Assemble a group of influential leaders and change champions who can drive momentum and overcome resistance.

3. Form a Strategic Vision and Initiatives
   Craft a clear, inspiring vision for the future and identify actionable steps that will move the organization toward it.

4. Enlist a Volunteer Army
   Communicate the vision broadly and invite others to participate. Engagement and buy in grow when people feel part of the movement.

5. Enable Action by Removing Barriers
   Identify and address obstacles, whether structural, procedural, or cultural, that slow down progress.

6. Generate Short Term Wins
   Celebrate early successes to build confidence and show that the change is working.

7. Sustain Acceleration
   Use the momentum from early wins to tackle bigger challenges. Keep pushing forward and avoid declaring victory too early.

8. Institute Change
   Anchor the new behaviors and processes into the organizational culture so the change sticks over time.

When and Where to Use Kotter’s Model

Kotter’s framework is ideal for any organizational transformation that requires alignment, engagement, and cultural shift. It works particularly well in

• Business transformations such as mergers, restructuring, or digital initiatives

• Leadership transitions or new strategy rollouts

• Culture or behavior change programs

• Team or departmental realignments

• Nonprofit or community-based initiatives that require broad collaboration

Essentially, if your change effort involves people rather than only processes, Kotter’s model offers a roadmap to build commitment and momentum.

How to Apply Kotter’s 8 Steps

Implementing Kotter’s model involves both structure and flexibility. Here is how to bring it to life:

1. Diagnose the Current State: Understand the internal and external pressures driving change. Gather insights to build urgency.

2. Form Your Coalition: Identify credible, committed leaders who can influence others.

3. Co Create the Vision: Collaborate with your team to define what success looks like and why it matters.

4. Communicate Relentlessly: Share stories, updates, and results frequently through multiple channels and conversations.

5. Empower Teams: Remove red tape, clarify roles, and provide resources to make change easier.

6. Track and Celebrate Wins: Recognize progress early and often to reinforce commitment.

7. Scale and Sustain: Expand successful practices and embed them into hiring, training, and leadership development.

8. Anchor in Culture: Reinforce new norms through shared values, systems, and leadership behaviors.

Final Thoughts

Kotter’s 8 Step Model reminds us that successful change is not about control, it is about connection. Change takes root when people believe in it, understand their role, and see real results.

As leaders, our job is to guide others through uncertainty with clarity, empathy, and consistency, transforming not just what we do, but how we think and collaborate along the way.

Happy Thursday lovelies,

-srt

Reference

Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

You Are Allowed to Be Proud of Yourself

 

Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to downplay our wins.

We learned to say “It was nothing” instead of “I worked hard for this.”
We learned to keep moving instead of pausing.
We learned that pride could look like arrogance, and that humility meant shrinking.

Let this be your reminder: you are allowed to be proud of yourself.

Pride Is Not Arrogance

Being proud of yourself doesn’t mean you think you’re better than others. It means you recognize your effort, your growth, and your resilience. It means you acknowledge what it took to get here ... the late nights, the 80-hour workweeks, the uncomfortable conversations, the moments you wanted to quit but didn’t.

Healthy pride is grounded.
It’s honest.
It’s earned.

Growth Deserves Recognition

So often, we only celebrate big milestones: the promotion, the finished goal, the visible success. But growth usually happens quietly.

It happens when:

• You set a boundary you used to avoid

• You chose rest instead of burnout

• You spoke kindly to yourself on a hard day

• You tried again after failing

Those moments matter. They count. And they deserve recognition ... especially from you.

You Don’t Need Permission (But Here It Is Anyway)

If no one has told you lately, let this be the moment you hear it:

• You don’t need to wait until everything is perfect.
• You don’t need to minimize your progress because someone else is further along.
• You don’t need external validation to honor your journey.

You are allowed to be proud of who you are becoming, not just what you’ve achieved.

A Simple Practice

Today, pause and ask yourself:

• What have I done recently that took courage?

• Where have I grown, even if it was uncomfortable?

• What am I proud of that I haven’t acknowledged yet?

Write it down. Say it out loud. Let it land.

Because pride, when rooted in self-respect, fuels confidence ... not complacency.

Final Reminder

You are allowed to be proud of yourself.
Not someday.
Not when you’ve done “more.”
Right Now.

And sometimes, that reminder is exactly what keeps us going.

Keep going lovelies, you got this. 

-srt

How to Write a Strong Problem Statement

Let’s be honest: most of us love solutions. We love brainstorming fixes, rolling up our sleeves, and diving in. But here’s the problem: if we don’t take the time to define the actual problem, we end up throwing energy (and sometimes money) at the wrong thing.

It’s like treating a headache with new shoes. Sure, they look good, but you still have a headache.

That’s why writing a strong problem statement is one of the most important skills you can learn in business and in life.

Why Bother With a Problem Statement?

Think of a problem statement as your GPS. Without it, you might still get somewhere, but probably not where you intended. With it, you save time, avoid frustration, and keep everyone on the same road.

A clear problem statement:

• Gets everyone on the same page (no more arguing about what we’re really solving).

• Prevents “solution-hopping” (jumping to shiny fixes that don’t stick).

• Makes your case stronger when you need buy-in.

The Secret Recipe: 5 Ingredients

Writing one isn’t rocket science, it’s more like following a simple recipe. 

Here are the five ingredients you need:

1. Background/Context – Why does this matter right now?

2. The Problem – What’s the real gap or challenge?

3. Impact – Who’s affected, and how?

4. Evidence/Data – Prove it. Don’t just “feel” it.

5. Desired State – Paint a picture of success (without sneaking in the solution).

Here’s the difference it makes:

Weak version: “Our onboarding process stinks.”
Strong version: “In the last year, new hire retention dropped from 90% to 70%. Exit interviews show that unclear role expectations during onboarding are leaving people disengaged. This costs us time, money, and morale. The goal is an onboarding experience where new employees feel confident and retention returns to 90% or higher.”

The second one? That’s the kind of clarity that makes people lean forward and say, “Okay, now we can fix this.”

Don’t Fall Into These Traps

Some common traps (that I’ve seen more times than I can count):

• Too fuzzy, too tiny. Don’t be vague, but don’t zoom in so much you miss the bigger picture.

• Jumping to solutions. We all love playing fixer, but remember—this step is about defining the “what,” not the “how.”

• No receipts. Back it up with data. Without evidence, your problem statement is just a complaint.

Putting It Into Practice

In my workshops, I have people rewrite weak statements, practice with real scenarios, and critique each other’s drafts. At first, it feels awkward (like learning to dance), but then it clicks. Before long, you’ll catch yourself saying, “Wait, what’s the actual problem here?” and everyone will thank you for it.

The Bottom Line

A strong problem statement sets the stage for everything else. It saves time, builds alignment, and leads to stronger solutions.

Happy Thursday lovelies,

-srt

P.S. And here’s the good news: you don’t have to figure this out alone. At Rea Coaching and Consulting, I’ll show you how to write problem statements that actually move the needle. So ... are you ready to stop solving the wrong problems? Reach out today. Let’s get it right the first time.