Managers are often called upon to handle change in their organizations. Some changes are small and do not require much of a manager. But many are significant, requiring a strong leader to orchestrate the details. Whether it be handling new products, new technologies, new people, or new departmental missions, managers must be able to deal with change in an efficient and non-disruptive way.
Harvard Business School Professor John P. Kotter outlined an eight-stage change management process in his 1996 book, Leading Change. This framework has been embraced by many as an accurate representation of the steps needed to effect major change within an organization. The eight broad steps below provide an overview of how a manager can guide organizational transformation.