8 Steps for Change Management

Change is one of the constants of modernity. As Casa Sauza's director, I've learned that in order to take the organization to the future, we must prepare and train our staff so that adapt to constant change more easily. This will help our company remain in the market facing the passing of time. Discover the principles with which we apply Change Management at Casa Sauza.

In previous articles I have spoken about the need of Change Management in the production of tequila that must to be applied to our work teams, as well as of the need to work with the mentality of both collaborators/employees and suppliers for the development of their abilities and last, but not least, of the challenges that we've found in the automation of processes and in the agave production.

All of these changes must be built within a methodology or theoretical framework, which I will present here.

Theoretical Framework

According to John P.Kotter, the 8 steps are needed in order to transform an organization:

1 Establish a Sense of Urgency

• Analyze the market and competitiveness
• Identify and discuss the current and potential crises and opportunities.

2 Create a Powerful and Directive Coalition

• Create a group with enough power to lead the effort for change.
• Encourage the group to work together as a team.

3 Create a Vision

• A vision must be created in order to support the direction of the effort for change.
• Develop strategies to reach that vision

4 Communicate the Vision

• Make use of the necessary resources in order to communicate the new vision and its strategies
• Teach new behaviors having the directive coalition set the example

5 Empower Collaborators to Act Based on the Vision

• Get rid of change obstacles
• Change te systems and structures that seriously affect the vision
• Encourage risk taking as well as non-traditional ideas, activities and actions

6 Plan and Achieve Quick Results in the Short Term

1. Plan improvements and results that can be seen
2. Achieve these improvements
3. Recognize and reward the collaborators involved in the improvements

7 Consolidate Improvements and Keep Achieving More Changes

• Use the earned credibility in order to change systems, structures and policies that are not aligned with the vision.
• Hire, promote and develop collaborators who can and do implement the vision
• Revitalize processes with new projects, topics and change agents

8 Institutionalize the New Approach

• Articulate the connections between new behaviors and corporate success.
• Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession.

Keep reading our Tequila Production Process blog to find out more about Change Management. You can also come to Casa Sauza and see for yourself all of the improvements that we have achieved with hard work and creativity.