Leading Change

The fifth stage is to empower employees. Though Kotter notes that he formerly disliked the term “empowerment,” he embraces it now. Kotter identifies four elements of a firm that might hinder empowerment: organizational issues, a lack of crucial skills, personnel systems that counteract the vision, and discouraging managers. In each case, Kotter provides solutions and examples. Organizational barriers may include tasks that align with the new vision but are tedious to accomplish or involve reaching out across teams or departments; such tasks can discourage employees from using new methods and systems. Resolving this issue is a matter of responding to employee feedback, putting pressure on managers who may be dragging their feet, and reorganizing systems to allow for more fluid implementation of new methods. Employees who lack the necessary skills or knowledge to keep up with change may require training, and Kotter notes that while training may not always be needed, it can help to overcome barriers in employee performance. In situations where many employees will need to learn new methods or systems, large-scale training efforts might be necessary.

Personnel and human resources issues may include promotion criteria, specific goals and praise, or recruiting systems, all of which need to be aligned with the new vision.