Change Management: Transformation Failures Based on John Kotter's Work

This essay delves into the reasons why many organizational transformation efforts fail, drawing upon John Kotter's change management model to identify common mistakes. It highlights the importance of creating a sense of urgency, establishing a guiding coalition, developing a clear vision, and effectively communicating that vision to empower others. The essay discusses how a lack of cooperation, poor leadership, and an unwillingness to step outside established protocols can hinder successful change implementation. It also emphasizes the significance of short-term wins, consolidating gains, and institutionalizing new approaches to ensure lasting transformation. Real-world examples illustrate how failing to address these critical elements can lead to the collapse of transformation initiatives. The essay concludes that a clear vision, supportive leadership, and a willingness to embrace change are essential for organizations to overcome challenges and achieve successful transformations, with the website providing additional resources like past papers and solved assignments.

Running head: CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Change management
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Introduction
Nowadays, there are many organizations that wants to bring huge changes in
organisational working process. In this context, it can be stated that, transformational change is
necessary for increasing the productivity of business firms. It has been noticed that many
organizations strive hard to bring transformation in the working processes of the business firms.
It has been observed that many organizations seems to fail in bringing transformation in its
workflow. In this context, it can be stated that there are certain reasons due to which several
business organisations fails to bring changes in its working procedures. It has been noted that
lack of cooperation from the members of the team or reluctance to transform are some of the
important reasons that has caused failures in transformation efforts made by the management of
the respective organization. In other words, lack of willingness among the employees is one of
the key reasons that has caused failure bring changes in management. In this particular study, the
key mistakes that people make a the time of implementing changes are explained here in the light
of John Kotter’s change management model.
Discussion
It has been observed that there are certain reasons due to which failure in efforts for
transformation takes place within the workflow of the organizations. John. P. Kotter has
identified eight biggest mistakes that are committed by the business firms when they are
struggling hard to implement changes in the workflow of the companies. Kotter has identified
that are eight stages of change management where these mistakes are usually committed by
people including employees, managers and executives. These eight stages are creating a sense of
urgency, establishing a guiding coalition, developing the vision, communicating a vision,

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empowering others to act on the vision, creating short-term wins, consolidating gains to produce
more changes and institutionalizing new approaches (Blumberg ) It has been observed that in
most of the cases, companies undertake a decision to initiate transformation programs in their
workflow. For this purpose, they need cooperation of executives, managers and employees of all
levels. Moreover, it is seen that almost 50% business firms fail in this phase. It has been noticed
that sometimes management finds that it is impossible for them to drive employees out of its
comfortable zones. In most of the cases, they do not have the patience to bring changes in the
organization. It has been noticed that lack of good leadership makes it hard for the management
to bring transformation in the workflow. Sometimes, it is seen that the managers are worrying
about the fact that employee’s morale will become low; therefore, they are reluctant to bring
changes in the workflow. Not only this, they are also concerned with the fact that jeopardization
of short-term business outcomes will take place if they bring changes in the working procedures
of the business firms.
In the second stage of change management, individuals at the hierarchy fails to realise the
significance of coalition while they are incorporating changes within the workflow of the
companies. In this regard, it can be stated that these top-level management often tends to realise
the importance of teamwork in a collaborative as well as coordinated manner. As a result, they
fails to transform the working procedures of the business organizations. It has been noticed that
often the management do not go beyond the protocols of the company. They tend to function by
following the protocols of the company (Blumberg). In this context, it can be stated that it is
necessary for the hierarcgy to work outside the protocol if they want to bring transformation in
the working procedures. However, their unwillingness to work outside the company’s protocols
results in the failure of transformation efforts made by the management of the companies. In this

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context, it can be stated that major modifications are not possible unless head of company is
found to be supportive of bring major changes in the respective company. In this context, it can
be stated that in case of successful transformation, it is seen that a group of 5, 15 or 50
individuals including the chairman, president along with division manager works together as a
unified team. However, it is seen that a strong coalition enables the companies to bring major
changes in its working procedures. However, it has been noted that if current hierarchy is not
functioning well, then it is required for the companies to include activities that are outside the
company’s protocols. But it is seen, in most of the cases, the companies fail to do so. As a result,
failures in the transformational efforts takes place within the workflow of the companies. It has
been found that lack of leadership is creating difficulty for the managers to bring major changes
within the working environment of the business organizations.
` It is essential for the business firms to have a proper vision if they wants to implement
huge changes within the premises of the company. Having a proper vision is necessary for the
companies because it will give a clear direction to the company regarding how to implement
changes in the working environment of companies (Blumberg). In this context, it can be stated
that without a vision, restructuring of the company is not possible. In this context, it can be
stated that the company sometimes possesses a direction but the complicacy of direction leads to
failure in transformational efforts (Huy, Kevin G. Corley and Matthew S. Kraatz). It has been
observed that if the company do not have a proper vision, then it is not possible for the business
firm to incorporate changes in the working processes of the respective organizations
(Mosadeghrad and Maryam Ansarian). It has been observed that if the leaders as well as
managers cannot express the vision properly to the workforce, it might led to failure in
transformation efforts made by the companies. In other words, leaders and the managers

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sometimes fails to interact the vision clearly to the workforce, then it is not possible for the
business firms to bring transformation in the working procedures of the business organizations
(Dionne et al). In addition to this, it has been lack of cooperation from employees is
obstructing the management to incorporate modifications in the working procedures. On the
other hand, it has been observed that organizational structure sometimes causes difficulty for the
management to incorporate changes in the working procedures of business organizations. In
other words, narrow job categories create an issue for the management working at business
organizations to bring huge changes in the workflow of business organizations (Crystal ). It is
seen that often top-level to bring changes that might cause failures in transformational efforts
within the organizational environment. It has been found that a business firm had started its
transformation procedure with publicity. It is seen that the progress of the business firm had
stopped at the fourth phase (Madden and Brian McQuinn.). It has been noticed that officer-in-
charge of organization’s biggest division did not encouraged new initiatives. He wanted to
follow the old initiatives (Crystal). He did not realise the importance of undertaking new
initiatives.
He did not encouraged his subordinates for bringing changes in the working procedures
of the respective organization. In other words, it has been observed that the officer-in-charge did
not wanted to change any of the old ideas that was undertaken and implemented by the
respective organization (Benedettini, Andy Neely and Morgan Swink). From this case study, it
has been observed that the officer-in-charge was worried about the fact that if brings changes,
them it might happen that he and his team could not meet up the targeted profit percent. On the
other hand, it has been noticed that he thought that there is no need to bring change within the
working procedure of the respective organization (Hornstein). In addition to this, the officer-in-

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charge was concerned about the fact that these unconventional ideas might create a negative
impact on the organizational working procedure(Bell and Michael). In addition to this the rest
managers and company’s CEO did nothing for bringing changes in their organizational
procedure (Mohammad). It is seen that the CEO does not wanted to lose this valuable employee.
On the other hand, there were certain skilled professionals who are afraid of officer-in-charge
(Weled et al.). As a result, it is seen that both CEO and other employees did nothing to transform
its work culture. These are some of the reasons that had prevented the officer-in-charge to bring
huge modifications in the working procedures of the business firms. In this context, it can be
stated all these reasons has resulted into the collapse of whole effort to bring huge changes in the
organizational procedure (Stein and Gustavo Crespi ).
It has been observed that real transformation is a time-taking process. It is seen that to
selt renewal attempt threats losing momentum if there is no short-term objectives to meet as well
as celebrate. It has been observed that in case of successful implementation of changes,
managers always seeks for acquiring performance improvements. It is required for the managers
to set objectives in annual planning system and obtaining the goals. The managers also gives
rewards to the employees. For instance, the guiding coalition at a US-based manufacturing
organization manufactured a visible as well as successful new item launched about 20 months
after the company has initiated the renewal effort (Longenecker and Paul).
It has been observed that it is required for the managers to declare victor after
modifications sink deeply within the culture of the business firm. It has been noticed that the
managers tend to declare victory after working hard for few years. For instance, it has been
noticed that change attempts were made for reengineering the projects. However, it has been
observed that managers had declared victory and they had given payments to consultants after

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the completion of first project. However, within two years, there was no trace of changes that
were implemented in reengineering works. There are two factors which needs to be considered
by companies while institutionalizing modifications in corporate culture. The first factor is
related to showing individual how new approaches or behaviours have aided improve
performance.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be deduced that these are the biggest mistakes that
individuals make at the time of bring major changes in the working procedures of the
organization. It can be stated that a vision is required for implementing changes in the
organization. It has been observed that lack of willingness among the top-level management
often leads to failure in transformational efforts. In other words, having a proper vision aids the
managers to achieve success in making changes in their working procedures. Having a vision
enables the companies to reduce the extent of errors thereby achieving success in bringing
changes within the workflow of the respective organisation. In this context, it can be stated that
leaders should be supportive of bringing huge changes in the organizational workflow. It has
been noticed that managers should be supportive of bring major changes in the working
procedures of the respective organization.

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