Leading Change
As a constant dynamic, rather than a variable reaction, change is an experience that is here to stay, and affects institutions of all natures. The difference between change that impacts as opportunity, and change that impacts as crisis, is how the change experience was embarked upon: consciously or unconsciously, with urgency or complacency, with developed vision or purely reactionary — was the change experience being lead toward opportunity, or was change itself leading the organization toward crisis?
If the experience of change is to bring fruit to any institution, including the institution of the Church, it must be lead! The process of leading change establishes opportunity for sustainability, progress, and growth.
John Kotter, professor emeritus of the Harvard Business School, and internationally recognized ‘Leadership / Change Guru,’ offers the following eight stages of Leading Change:
Establish a Sense of Urgency
Creating the Guiding Coalition
Developing a Vision and Strategy
Communicating the Change Vision
Empowering Broad-Based Action
Generating Short-Term Wins
Consolidating Gains and Producing More Change
Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture
With this open, yet directed eight-stage process, Kotter offers a guide to the shepherding process that provides the institution of the Church a powerful process to lead change and continually produce fruit in the Lord’s Vineyard.
More blog thoughts will follow, further developing Kotter’s eight-stage process, and its potential in the Orthodox Christian Church.
What say you?
