Leading Change That Sticks: The 8 Steps Every Change Agent Needs

The new year often brings in change, sometimes new change on top of the existing boatloads of old change. And it's all well and good - we know change is a constant - but leading change, especially one you're not wild about, is a challenge I see many leaders struggle with.

To lead a change successfully, you have to be a change agent. And being a change agent means more than just changing yourself -- it means actively guiding others through it, whether they report to you or not. There are lots of different ways to do this, but I like John Kotter’s 8 Step Model because it's a clear, practical framework, whether you're introducing a new payroll system, upgrading the cleanliness of the bathrooms, or getting your family to eat less sugar. Below, I'll walk you through the model, breaking down each step so you, too, can become a confident change agent. (But that, too, takes time and maybe 8 steps of your own.)

What does a Change Agent actually do?

A change agent drives transformation and sparks change in an organization or group. Change agents help others see the need for change, overcome resistance, and build momentum toward new ways of working. Without strong change agents, even the best ideas can fail to take hold.

Change agents can have positional power, or can be the lowest on the totem pole. Your ability to drive change isn't directly tied to your title, but it would be silly to pretend it isn't easier when you're in senior leadership. What helps most is having vision, communication skills, connections, and persistence.

Step 1: Create a Sense of Urgency

Change begins when people feel the need to act now, and it helps if the whole organization really wants the change you're proposing. Without urgency, people tend to stick with the status quo.

To create urgency:

• Identify real threats or opportunities that demand attention. ("We're losing market share with Hispanic women in the south.")

• Share data or stories that highlight why change is necessary. ("63% of our workforce rated their engagement at 3 or less on our five-point scale.")

• Engage key stakeholders early to build awareness. ("As the CFO, your help with this HR initiative will really show it matters.")

  
  

Kotter suggests that for change to be successful, 75% percent of a company's management needs to "buy into" the change. In other words, you have to work really hard on Step 1, and spend significant time and energy building urgency before moving on to the next steps. Don't panic and jump in too fast because you're worried about your stats – if you act without proper preparation, you could be in for a very bumpy ride.

Step 2: Build a Powerful Coalition

Change requires bringing together leaders with different perspectives. You can find these leaders throughout your organization – they don't necessarily all sit at the top. (I remember at one of my past jobs, if you needed to get something done, you didn't go to the CEO, you went to his admin, Shirley. She knew everyone and could get anything done at lightning speed.) The best coalitions are made up of influential people whose power comes from a variety of sources, including job title, status, expertise, and political importance.

This team should:

• Cross multiple departments

• Have credibility, authority, and emotional commitment

• Look for and identify any gaps on their team (and fix them)

• Work well together and share a common goal

  
  

The job of this group is to spread the message and identify/overcome resistance. For instance, a hospital introducing new patient care protocols might include doctors, nurses, and administrators in the coalition. (And I always recommend that HR be informed if not included in these changes - they have perspectives a lot of other departments lack.)

Step 3: Develop a Clear Vision and Strategy

People need to understand where the change is headed and how it will happen. A clear vision provides direction and motivation. When the coalition has so many different perspectives, aligning on the vision can be a challenge - it's not a bad idea to bring in an outside facilitator to help you define your vision. (I know one, if you need her.)

The goal of this step is to:

• Define what success looks like and summarize it (the coalition should be able to describe the vision in under five minutes -- too long and it's too murky)

• Create a simple, compelling message to get people on board

• Outline key steps to reach the goal

  
  

A software company moving to agile development might describe the vision as faster delivery and better collaboration, with a strategy that includes training and pilot projects. (Quick and simple.)

Step 4: Communicate the Vision

Communication is critical. The vision must be shared repeatedly and through multiple channels. A mistake I often see organizations make is that an email about the change goes out once from HR and then is never heard again until it's implemented (and then people are pissed).

To be successful in this step:

• Use stories and examples to make the vision relatable

• Address concerns and anxieties openly and honestly

• Encourage two-way dialogue

• Find ways to cascade the message to supervisors and managers, so they can share it in multiple ways and at multiple touchpoints.

• Walk the talk. What your leadership team does is far more important than what they say.

  
  

Leaders should model the behaviors they want to see. For example, a school principal promoting a new teaching method might hold regular meetings, send newsletters, and visit classrooms to discuss the vision.

Step 5: Remove Obstacles

Barriers to change often come from outdated systems or resistant individuals. I'm not suggesting you get rid of those people or systems, necessarily, but be open to conversations and additional changes.

To empower action:

• Remove obstacles like rigid policies or a lack of resources. (Remember "return to the office" programs? How many of those failed because of rigid policies and leaders who didn't walk the talk?)

• Encourage risk-taking and new ideas

• Provide training and support, either on the tactical skills needed to do work a new way, or the communication and trust-building skills needed to bring the team together.

• Recognize and reward people for making the change happen

  
  

Imagine a retail chain looking to update its inventory system. Empowering employees might mean simplifying approval processes and offering hands-on, step-by-step training on the new system.

Step 6: Generate Short-Term Wins

Small successes build confidence and momentum. Look for slam dunks with few to no critics to implement early. Watch out for expensive early targets, as too much spending up front may make bottom-line leaders worried about the future of the change. And choose your targets carefully: early misses can hurt the whole initiative.

Short-term wins should be:

• Visible and meaningful

• Celebrated publicly and regularly

• Linked to the overall vision

  
  

A nonprofit launching a new fundraising campaign might highlight early donations and thank volunteers to keep energy high.

Step 7: Build on the Change

After early wins, it’s important to keep going and not rest on your laurels. Kotter argues that many change projects fail because victory is declared too early. Real change runs deep. Quick wins are only the beginning.

Launching one new product using a new system is great. But if you can launch 10 products, that means the new system is working. To reach that 10th success, you need to keep looking for improvements.

Each success provides an opportunity to build on what went right and identify what you can improve.

This means:

• Using credibility from wins to tackle bigger challenges

• Avoiding complacency (though rest and recovery are important)

• Continuously improving processes

  
  

For example, a manufacturing plant that improved safety might next focus on quality control, using lessons learned from the first change.

Step 8: Make it Stick

Lasting change happens when new behaviors become part of the culture. Your culture determines what gets done, so the values behind your vision must show in the new, day-to-day work that has changed.

To anchor change:

• Encourage leaders to continue to support the change

• Show how new practices improve performance

• Align policies and rewards with the change

• Develop leaders who support the new way

  
  

A marketing agency that adopts flexible work schedules might update its HR policies, train managers to support remote teams, and update the onboarding to include this new information.

Becoming a change agent means having a plan to guide others through uncertainty with clarity and confidence. You can wing it, but I don't recommend it. Kotter’s 8 Step Plan offers a proven path to success. By creating urgency, building a strong team, communicating clearly, and celebrating progress, you can lead change that lasts.

And if you want to bring this thinking to your organization, reach out to me about my course, Being a Change Agent!

Being a Change Agent.pdf

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