Kotter chapter 2

The argument in chapter 2 of Leading Change is that over time organisations tend to get complacent. And not just organisations but the managers within them. Managers are good at keeping to the status quo. Leaders are good at initiating change. We often have too many managers and not enough leaders. Managers get promoted to leadership level, which excaserbates the problem.

On top of that, it is important to introduce any change stage by stage (see table on p21). Some leaders introduce change too quickly. They jump straight to the later stages, not realising that the earlier stages establish an atmosphere ready for change. Once changes have been implemented it's important to make the new way of doing things the standard, so the corporate culture has absorbed the new way of working.

How does this apply to SE? We need leaders to champion the idea of all programmes and activities being SE programmes and activities, with translation embedded within those programmes. They need to implement this in the appropriate way, without forcing this new approach on teams too quickly. Those with managerial skills need to help implement the new strategy, without standing in the way of change.