Organizations change out of necessity and for a variety of reasons. While there is no single source of change, there is a clear pattern to the reasons for failure. Most often, it is a leader’s attempt to shortcut a critical phase of the change process. Certainly, there is room for flexibility in the eight steps that underlie successful change — but not a lot of room.

Producing change is about 80 percent leadership — establishing direction, aligning, motivating, and inspiring people — and about 20 percent management — planning, budgeting, organizing, and problem solving. Unfortunately, in most of the change efforts those percentages are reversed. Our business schools and work organizations continue to produce great managers; we need to do as well at developing great leaders.

Kotters Eight Steps to Transform Your Organization best summarizes our Approach to partnering with organizations going through change.

1. Establish a Sense of Urgency
2. Form a Powerful Guiding Coalition
3. Create a Vision
4. Communicate the Vision
5. Empower Others to Act on the Vision
6. Plan for and Create Short-Term Wins
7. Consolidate Improvements and Produce Still More Change
8. Institutionalize New Approaches