The first step of John Kotter's eight-step change management process is to establish a sense of urgency, frequently taught by change practitioners using the burning platform concept from Connor's 1992 book "Managing at the Speed of Change". However, in my academic studies, I have quickly learned that the models in business books sometimes do not yield results empirically and over a generalized population. In 2018, the Academy of Management published a literature review titled "Successful Organizational Change" by Stouten, Rousseau, and De Cremer, comparing 7 change models with 82 empirical studies. 

In this study, they compared: 
- Lewin's three-step model 
- Beer and Spector's six-step model 
- Appreciative Inquiry (AI) 
- Judson's Five Steps 
- Kanter, Stein and Jick's change model 
- Kotter's eight-step process 
- Hiatt's ADKAR model 

Synthesized, the most common steps for change are: 

1. Assess the opportunity or problem motivating the change
   2. Select and support a guiding change coalition
   3. Formulate a clear, compelling vision 
   4. Communicate the vision 
   5. Mobilize energy for change 
   6. Empower others to act 
   7. Develop and promote change-related knowledge and ability 
   8. Identify short-term wins and use as reinforcement of change progress 
   9. Monitor and strengthen the change process 
   10. Institutionalize change in company culture, practices, and management 

However, the empirical evidence has mixed interpretations of the effectiveness of these steps. For example, there are few scientific studies about guiding coalitions and their success in change, and who should be in the coalition of change itself is debated between the models. According to the research, short-term results can also come at the sacrifice of long-term investments for future success and give false readings of change progress that undermine the change-related activities. Most alarming that I found is the urgency or "burning platform" that has become the mantra in any change initiative. According to the empirical evidence, urgency can lead to fear, and fear can lead to rigidity, avoidance, stress, and even encourage employees to cut corners under pressure.  

Rather, a new empirically supported model was developed : 

1. Get factsregardingthe nature of the problem (Diagnosis Step 1) 
   2. Assess and address the organization's readiness for change (Diagnosis Step 2) 
   3. Implement evidence-based change interventions 
   4. Develop effective change leadership throughout the organization 
   5. Develop and communicate a compelling change vision 
   6. Work with social networks and tap their influence 
   7. Use enabling practices to support implementation 
   8. Promote micro-processes and experimentation 
   9. Assess change progress and outcomes over time 
   10. Institutionalize the change to sustain its effectiveness 

In my own literature review for organizational readiness to change, I found that there is a common theme of trust and supporting leadership that is much more effective in managing change than any standardized change process. So stop managing by panic. Put away the matches for the burning platform and cultivate trust in your leadership, and change will follow. 

By Jerry DeFranco

Jerry DeFranco is a project management professional (PMP), a Lean Six Sigma master black belt (LSS MBB), a Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and holds a Master's in Organizational Leadership paired with 20+ years of operations and project experience from the US Navy, Microsoft, and L3Harris. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at the Florida Institute of Technology and is an active contributor to the professional community on Florida's Space Coast.