The 8 Steps for Leading Change

Kotter’s award-winning methodology is the proven approach to producing lasting change.

Kotter 8 Step Model for Leading Change

The Framework

Over four decades, Dr. Kotter observed countless leaders and organizations as they were trying to transform or execute their strategies. He identified and extracted the common success factors and documented them as the 8 Steps for Leading Change.

Since the introduction of the 8 Steps, Dr. Kotter expanded his focus from research to impact with the founding of Kotter. Together with the firm, he evolved the linear 8 Step from Leading Change to the 8 Accelerators outlined in his 2014 book, Accelerate and the firm’s 2021 book, CHANGE.

01. Create A Sense of Urgency

Inspire people to act – with passion and purpose – to achieve a bold, aspirational opportunity. Build momentum that excites people to pursue a compelling (and clear) vision of the future… together.

02. Build A Guiding Coalition

A volunteer network needs a coalition of committed people – born of its own ranks – to guide it, coordinate it, and communicate its activities.

“After being a member of our first Guiding Coalition I was selected to co-lead our second Guiding Coalition. Our work with Kotter gave me the opportunity to explore my own passions in the workplace. As a millennial, it is really important because I’m not sure what type of career I’m going to have, and working with Kotter has exposed me to all different parts of the organization that I wouldn’t have worked with otherwise.”

Ben White / United Way of Greater Kansas City