Change is a constant in business and life. Whether it’s adapting to a shifting global economy, transforming a sales strategy, leading an organizational shift, or simply changing a personal habit…one truth remains: lasting change begins within you.
Too often, change management focuses on external strategies—processes, technologies, market forces or the pressure of society—without recognizing that true transformation starts at the individual level. If you want to drive sustainable change, you must first embody it.
Drawing from John Kotter’s change model, we can break this process down into three fundamental principles:
1. Be Yourself
Before you can lead change, you must first become the change. This is the foundation—your personal vision, mindset, and conviction. If the transformation you seek does not resonate within you, it will not last.
- Kotter’s Step 1: Create a Sense of Urgency → The urgency for change must begin in your own mindset. Why is this transformation necessary? What will happen if you don’t change?
- Kotter’s Step 3: Develop a Vision and Strategy → Your personal vision for change must be clear and compelling. Define it for yourself before expecting others to follow.
💡 Example: If you’re leading a digital sales transformation, you must first believe in and embrace digital tools, automation, and new engagement models before expecting your team to do so.
2. Communicate – Make the Vision Tangible
Change without communication is chaos. Whether you are convincing yourself or leading a team, articulating a clear, compelling vision of the “new reality” is critical. Change management is storytelling—people need to see, feel, and believe in the new future.
- Kotter’s Step 4: Communicate the Change Vision → Reinforce the vision repeatedly through words, actions, and small wins.
- Kotter’s Step 5: Empower Broad-Based Action → Communication is not just about telling—it’s about engaging, listening, and inspiring action.
💡 Example: If you want to develop a culture of customer-centric sales, you must continuously communicate this shift through meetings, training, and practical examples—helping your team internalize the new mindset.
3. Train Others & Build Culture – The Ecosystem of Change
Sustaining change is impossible alone. For a transformation to last, it must extend beyond yourself—it must become part of a culture. This means:
✔ Surrounding yourself with people who have already achieved what you aim for.
✔ Training and empowering others to adopt and sustain the change.
✔ Creating an ecosystem that makes the new way the norm rather than the exception.
- Kotter’s Step 6: Generate Short-Term Wins → Small successes build momentum.
- Kotter’s Step 7: Sustain Acceleration → Keep pushing forward even after the first successes.
- Kotter’s Step 8: Anchor New Approaches in the Culture → Make the change part of the identity of your organization or personal life.
💡 Example: If a company is transitioning from product-based selling to consultative sales, this must go beyond strategy documents—it requires continuous training, hiring salespeople who already embrace this mindset, and celebrating behaviors that reinforce the shift.
Final Thoughts
Kotter’s change management model is powerful, but without a strong foundation—yourself—lasting change is impossible. The seed of transformation must be within you. Believe in it, communicate it, and build a culture around it.
Whether you’re a leader driving organizational change, a sales professional adapting to a shifting market, or someone seeking personal transformation, remember: change is not imposed, it is embodied.
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