-Respond to the post below. Your opinion.

A major change for the department that I work in has been with leadership and it has placed major stress on its personnel. Steps one through four of Kotter 8-steps were completely disregarded when this decision was decided. Step one of Kotter's 8-steps was omitted due to the top management of the department failing to have the same vision for where they wanted to lead the department creating a divide which effected the ability to execute steps two, three, and four.

Kotter's steps one through four can be described as creating a sense of urgency which motivates people to take bold, aspirational action to realize their potential, while generating excitement among participants to pursue a compelling (and distinct) future vision as a group (step one) (Kotter Inc, n.d.). For an advocacy network to be guided, coordinated, and communicate its activities, it must first build a coalition of devoted individuals from inside its ranks (step two) (Kotter Inc, n.d.). Developing a strategic vision that outlines how the future will differ from the past and garner support for activities that will help realize the vision (step three) (Kotter Inc, n.d.). Once the team is staggered side-by-side, only enormously large numbers of people come together to support a single chance for a meaningful change (Kotter Inc, n.d.). They must aspire to actively participate on a personal level (Kotter Inc, n.d.). They must work together in unison to pursue the shared objective of reaching it (step 4) (Kotter Inc, n.d.).

Schein shares that all human systems try to keep a balance and optimize their autonomy in relation to their surroundings (UMGC, n.d.). Maintaining the system's integrity in the face of a continually shifting environment that induces variable degrees of disequilibrium is a requirement for coping, growth, and survival (UMGC, n.d.). This function of stabilizing and creating meaning is done by collecting common assumptions that groups and organizations establish through time (UMGC, n.d.). Therefore, the development of culture is one of the ways that a group or organization maintains its integrity and autonomy, sets itself apart from the environment and other groups, and gives itself an identity (UMGC, n.d.).

Currently leadership is attempting to realign what has been broken but are barely meeting Kotter steps of five through eight, due to intense stress levels; however, under pressure making slow progress. With a pertinent piece of the distraction removed, although a valued asset, step five (eliminating obstacles that hinder progress) was able to be the start of rebuilding blocks for the department which enhanced reaching Kotter steps six through eight by achieving quick victories (step six), maintaining acceleration (step seven), and implementing change (step eight) (Kotter Inc, n.d.).

References

Kotter International Incorporated (Kotter Inc). (n.d.). The 8 steps for leading change. Retrieved from, https://www.kotterinc.com/methodology/8-steps/

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). (n.d.). 17 A conceptual model for managed culture change. Retrieved from, https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/dam/course-content/tus/hrmn/hrmn-367/document/Schein%20chapter%2017.pdf