Artful Transformation and John Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change

In Leading Change, John Kotter of Kotter International emphasizes:

30 years of research by leadership guru Dr. John Kotter have proven that 70% of all major change efforts in organizations fail. Why do they fail? Because organizations often do not take the holistic approach required to see the change through.

However, by following the 8 Step Process outlined by Professor Kotter, organizations can avoid failure and become adept at change. By improving their ability to change, organizations can increase their chances of success, both today and in the future. Without this ability to adapt continuously, organizations cannot thrive.

How does The 8-Step Process for Leading Change relate to Artful Transformation?

Step 1: Create/Establishing a Sense of Urgency

This step focuses on “helping others see the need for change and the importance of acting immediately”:

Examine market and competitive realities

Identify and discuss crises, potential crises or major opportunities

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically fostering awareness of the rationale justifying the transformation.

Kotter’s emphasis that “leaders who know what they are doing will ‘aim for the heart’” and “connect to the deepest values of their people and inspire them to greatness” is crucial.

Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition

This step focuses on “putting together a group with enough power to lead the change”:

Assemble a group with enough power to lead the change effort

Encourage the group to work as a team

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically establishing a transformation team.

Kotter’s emphasis that “the team should reflect: Position Power; Expertise; Credibility; and Leadership” is crucial.

Step 3: Developing a Change Vision

This step focuses on “clarifying how the future will be different from the past”:

Create a vision to help direct the change effort

Develop strategies for achieving that vision

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically deriving a framework. Kotter’s vision is similar to Artful Transformation’s framework and Kotter’s strategies is similar Artful Transformation’s roadmap.

Kotter’s emphasis that a “clear vision [framework] serves three important purposes: simplifies more detailed decisions; motivates people to take action; and helps to coordinate the actions” is crucial.

Kotter’s emphasis “effective visions [frameworks] have six key characteristics: Imaginable; Desirable; Feasible; Focused; Flexible; and Communicable” is crucial.

Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in

This step focuses on “ensuring that as many people as possible understand and accept the vision”:

Use every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies

Teach new behaviors by the example of the Guiding Coalition

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically socializing and refining the framework and roadmap.

Kotter’s emphasis on “communicating the vision” and “the vision should be: Simple; Vivid; Repeatable; Invitational” is crucial.

Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action / Empowering People and Removing Barriers

This step focuses on “removing as many barriers as possible and unleashing people to do their best work”:

Remove obstacles to change

Change systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision

Encourage the risk-taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting & elaborating (Phase II) and further enacting & evolving (Phase III) the framework as well as renewing value-creating capabilities (Phase II) and reviewing oversights capabilities (Phase III).

Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins

This step focuses on “creating some visible, unambiguous success as soon as possible”:

Plan for visible performance improvements

Create those improvements

Recognize and reward employees involved in the improvements

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically the successes and improvements at the early parts of the phases.

Step 7: Never Letting Up / Don’t Let Up!

This step focuses on “consolidating gains and producing more change”:

Use increased credibility to change systems, structures and policies that don’t fit the vision

Hire, promote, and develop employees who can implement the vision

Reinvigorate the process with new projects, themes, and change agents

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically the gains at the latter parts of the phases.

Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture / Make it Stick

This step focuses on “anchoring new approaches in the culture”:

Articulate the connections between the new behaviors and organizational success

Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically the emergence of communities (Phase II) and fostering those communities (Phase III).

Artful Transformation and The 8 Steps

The 8-Step Process for Leading Change provides rich guidance that can be used with Artful Transformation to lead change.

Who Moved My Cheese, I Moved Your Cheese, and Tribal Leadership

In Who Moved My Cheese, Spencer Johnson (@RedTreeLeaders) introduces the parable of four characters (mice and “littlepeople”) who live in a Maze and look for Cheese. Cheese is a metaphor for “what you want”. The Maze is a metaphor for “where you look for what you want”. As the characters deal with unexpected change (the Cheese being moved), they discover how to deal with change: “Change Happens”, “Anticipate Change”, “Monitor Change”, “Adapt to Change Quickly”, “Change”, “Enjoy Change”, and “Be Ready to Quickly Change Again and Again”.

In I Moved Your Cheese, Deepak Malhotra (@Prof_Malhotra) extends the fable with three unique and adventurous characters (mice) who refuse to accept their reality as given. Rather than chasing after the Cheese, they individually escape the Maze or reconfigure it to their liking, thus creating new realities: “The problem is not that the mouse is in the maze, but that the maze is in the mouse.”

In Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization, Dave Logan (@DaveLogan1), John King (@KingOfLA), and Halee Fischer-Wright focus on how leaders leverage natural groups to build thriving organizations (based on a ten-year, 24,000 person, organizational research study). They introduce five cultural stages (theme, mood, relationships):

• Stage 1 – “Life sucks”, Alienated, Undermining;
• Stage 2 – “My life sucks”, Separate, Ineffective;
• Stage 3 – “I’m great (and you’re not)”, Personal Domination, Useful (Dyadic);
• Stage 4 – “We’re great (and they’re not)”, Stable Partnership, Important (Triadic); and
• Stage 5 – “Life is great”, Team, Vital (Triadic).

The chasm between Stage 3 and Stage 4 is huge, and Stage 4 is the realm / zone of Tribal Leadership. For more information on Tribal Leadership, please see Tribal Leadership Distilled: Paradigm, Process, and Model and Tribal Leadership in a Nutshell.

While Who Moved My Cheese and I Moved Your Cheese offer a compelling metaphor for approaching change using Mice, Cheese (and it being moved), and the Maze (and its walls), Who Moved My Cheese and I Moved Your Cheese generally offer a less compelling metaphor for approaching leadership, culture, and strategy.

Consider Stage 2, “My life sucks”, and ask why? Because someone (who) moved my cheese. Consider Stage 3, “I’m great (and you’re not)”, and ask why? Because I moved your cheese. Consider Stage 4, “We’re great (and they’re not)”, and why? Because its our cheese! Consider Stage 5, “Life is great”, and ask why? Because there is cheese for all! The five cultural stages can be expressed using this metaphor:

• Stage 1 – “Life sucks”… “No Cheese!”;
• Stage 2 – “My life sucks”… Who Moved My Cheese;
• Stage 3 – “I’m great (and you’re not)”… I Moved Your Cheese;
• Stage 4 – “We’re great (and they’re not)”… “Our Cheese!”; and
• Stage 5 – “Life is great”… “Cheese for All!”

Using the metaphors of Mice, Cheese (and it being moved), and the Maze (and its walls), Who Moved My Cheese generally focuses on Tribal Leadership’s Stage 2 (“My life sucks”) and I Moved Your Cheese generally focuses on Tribal Leadership’s Stage 3 (“I’m great (and you’re not)”) with an I-centric view and not authentically offering a focus on Stage 4 (“We’re great (and they’re not)”) with a We-centric view and Human Leadership.

Today’s world demands thriving on chaos in an age of discontinuity — where the past is plagued with incoherence & inconsistency, the present is plagued with chaos and ambiguity, and the future is plagued with unpredictability & uncertainty — and requires more holistically appreciating the interdependence of culture and performance as well as strategy and leadership (and synchronization).

Please see Cheese Moving: Effecting Change Rather Than Accepting It and 3 Reasons Why Business Books Are Bad for You for more.

Artful Transformation and the PRIMES

In The PRIMES: How Any Group Can Solve Any Problem, Chris McGoff (@ThePRIMESbook) of The Clearing with Dana Theus (@DanaTheus) of Magus Consulting describes a set of “simple, enduring, and universally applicable truths” that “unlock the power of a group” in “solving complex problems and driving transformational outcomes” (“direct change, facilitate transformation, and solve complex problems”).

How do the PRIMES relate to Artful Transformation?

The PRIMES

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The book introduces Universe Denters:

Michael Doyle [Chris McGoff’s colleague] and his team had a deep and practical understanding of the true nature of group work. They knew how to unlock the power of a group and catalyze the social construction of knowledge. I watched them accomplish “something big” over and over again. I called them “Universe Denters.”

The book then introduces the PRIMES:

In the process of scaling one organizational challenge or another, over a period of many years, realizations came to my partners and me one at a time — and often just in time. The PRIMES are these “eureka” insights. Usually, they occurred when we got stuck as a team. When something was wrong and we were in trouble, we talked it through. A realization would often surface that fit the exact circumstance and allowed us to move forward. As we refined and reused an insight successfully in other circumstances, we knew we had uncovered a PRIME. To qualify, the insight had to be universally applicable, effective in a wide variety of situations, and it had to be timeless and simple. One after another, we “met” the PRIMES.

This book then emphasizes distinguishing the PRIMES:

One of the most profound revelations in my life is that naming things is the act of creating the human experience and shaping the future. Naming is the core of what we do and what we cause. Naming is an essential first step toward achieving mastery over any aspect of life.

The book is organized into three parts with seven chapters:

Part 1 (The Calling): We pay attention to our “calling” and our desire to make a significant, lasting contribution to organizations, communities, and society. The PRIMES in Part One will help us prepare to meet challenges and enroll others in our vision.

Part 2 (Outward Bound): As we set out on our adventure, specific PRIMES help sustain us as a group. We’ll discover PRIMES for beginning our journey and for dealing with inevitable dangers on the path. Other PRIMES will help us “see around the corner,” to predict specific threats to our goal, and help us manage risks.

Part 3: (Summiting): Our goal is near, but at this stage we encounter the greatest fatigue. Our best and worst behaviors begin to manifest themselves. We’ll uncover PRIMES to help us protect the integrity of the expedition.

Artful Transformation and the PRIMES

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While the PRIMES may generally apply across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation, they also have a natural place across Phase I, II, and III where they may have the greatest impact and value.

The Wanderlust chapter of Part 1 (The Calling) establishes underpinning or foundational PRIMES, which are commonly leveraged across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

The Enrollment chapter of Part 1 (The Calling) offers PRIMES commonly leveraged in Phase I (Context) of Artful Transformation.

The Outfitting, Stepping Off, and Here be Dragons chapters of Part 2 (Outward Bound) introduce PRIMES commonly leveraged in Phase II (Foundation) of Artful Transformation.

The Strategic Pause chapter of Part 3 (Summiting) introduces PRIMES commonly leveraged in Phase III (Evolution) of Artful Transformation.

The Declared Leadership chapter of Part 3 (Summiting) establishes overarching or leadership PRIMES, which are commonly leveraged across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

Wanderlust

The Wanderlust chapter explores PRIMES that “help you clarify your purpose and prepare you to let the world know your vision.”

CHANGE VS. TRANSFORMATION: Change fixes the past. Transformation creates the future.

INTEGRITY: Change fixes the past. Transformation creates the future.

TRUST THE UNIVERSE: The Universe helps people who live boldly.

ENNOBLEMENT: A great vision elevates the people that hold it.

DYNAMIC INCOMPLETENESS: Co-creation causes co-ownership.

These PRIMES relate to fostering a Wholeness mindset (The Art of War – Wholeness) across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

Enrollment

The Enrollment chapter explores PRIMES that “give us the ability to build our team and excite, focus, and commit everyone to do what it takes to achieve our clear vision for the future.”

CORE PRIME: Powerful groups forge five essential agreements.

PARITY: Balancing the As Is and the To Be.

FACTS, STORIES, AND BELIEFS: Beliefs shape the facts we listen to and the stories we tell about them.

STAKE: People have different motivations; inspire them all.

DECLARATION: Great leaders DECLARE what will be, by when.

These PRIMES relate to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically establishing a transformation team and socializing & refining the framework. The CORE PRIME is quintessential in this phase.

Outfitting

The Outfitting chapter explores PRIMES that “prepare you to recognize and manage inevitable obstacles on whatever path you take.”

CULTURE: Every group divides the behaviors it will tolerate from those it will not.

GOSSIP: GOSSIP is pure, destructive energy. Tolerate it at your peril.

CONSENSUS: Everyone “agreeing with everything” is overrated.

VICTIM-LEADER: Empowering discussions focus on that which you can control.

BREACH: Acknowledging BREACH is an important step into INTEGRITY.

These PRIMES relate to Phase II of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting the framework and renewing value-creation capabilities. The CULTURE PRIME is quintessential in this phase.

Stepping Off

The Stepping Off chapter explores PRIMES “to help fuel the group, and to focus and maintain its energy, as it attempts the extraordinary.”

MUDA: Stop non-value-added activity to make room for value.

REDPOINT: Focus on the fewest, most important, things to do now.

ISSUES FORWARD: Direct your focus to what you can affect.

COHESION: Knowing what you want increases your chances of getting it.

These PRIMES relate to Phase II of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting the framework and renewing value-creation capabilities. The REDPOINT PRIME is quintessential in this phase.

Here be Dragons

The Here be Dragons chapter explores PRIMES that “clarify the importance of focusing and expanding energy efficiently.”

BIG HAT-LITTLE HAT: Everyone wears two hats. Know which one you wear at all times.

RIGHT VS. RIGHT: The most important arguments occur when rights collide.

RESOLUTION PRINCIPLES: Ethical dilemmas can’t be avoided, but they can be managed.

BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT: Rationality is a function of the information at hand.

LEVELS OF PERSPECTIVE: Where you stand determines the problems and solutions you see.

These PRIMES relate to Phase II of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting the framework and renewing value-creation capabilities.

Strategic Pause

The Strategic Pause chapter explores PRIMES that “help you locate the source of a group’s problem and help members resolve it quickly.”

FRAGMENTATION: Understanding the natural splintering of intentionality helps address it.

LAGGARDS: Ignore those who will never come along.

OPEN-CLOSE-DECIDE: Only one person, at one moment, makes a decision.

IN-ON: You are either working IN your business, or ON it.

These PRIMES relate to Phase III of Artful Transformation, and specifically renewing oversight capabilities.

Declared Leadership

The Declared Leadership chapter explores PRIMES that “are survival gear for truly great leaders.” “Outfitted with these principles, you will bypass obstacles, navigate the unexpected, and lead your teams through the rough patches every time they appear.”

LEADERSHIP SPECTRUM: Great leaders master multiple leadership styles.

SHAPE SHIFTING: Lead collaboratively or authoritatively, explicitly and intentionally.

CHASE-LOSE: Pursuit of meaningful outcomes inspires teamwork and leadership.

COMMITMENT VS. ATTACHMENT: Success is a state of being.

These PRIMES relate to fostering a Leadership mindset (The Art of War – Leadership) across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

Artful Transformation and the PRIMES

The PRIMES provide a rich set of principles that can be used with Artful Transformation “to create the future, produce extraordinary results, and make a dent in the Universe.”

Artful Transformation

Artful Transformation is an experientially derived and proven approach to transformation resulting from over three decades of major transformation work.

Artful Transformation is not a traditional change management approach or a new change management approach. Artful Transformation is not a theoretical or speculative approach to transformation.

Artful Transformation has been described & distilled and supported with a “public” case study (who, why, how, and the results).

Transformation involves fundamental change that fosters organizational health (performance and well-being).

Enterprise transformation involves the fundamental change of an enterprise, not merely causing the enterprise to change its structure or processes, but causing the enterprise to change its culture (expressed through language, relationships, and behaviors), which may in turn cause the enterprise to change its structure and processes. Organizational health involves a high performing enterprise that thrives within its context.

Transition is a practice-based change that primarily focuses on surface level behavior while a transformation is a value/principle-based change that focuses on the DNA of an enterprise.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Artful Transformation offers a 3 to 5 times improvement in organizational health (performance and well-being)! See the recommendations for more information!

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Phase I: Context

Phase I is described & distilled and supported with a “public” case study.

Phase I involves establishing a transformation team, deriving a “minimal” framework, and socializing and refining the framework for adoption, which ensures awareness of the aspects of the enterprise.

Phase II: Foundation

Phase II is described & distilled and supported with a “public” case study.

Phase II involves enacting and elaborating the framework, and renewing value-creation capabilities for adoption and scale, which ensures the dynamics within the enterprise.

Phase III: Evolution

Phase III is described & distilled and supported with a “public” case study.

Phase III involves enacting and evolving the framework, renewing oversight capabilities, and fostering communities for scale and sustainability, which ensures the wholeness of the enterprise.