Lesson 11 — Keep the Models Distinct + High-Confusion Decision Rules
Ask what question the scenario is actually asking
| Model | Primary question | Do not confuse with |
|---|---|---|
| Laws of Change | What human truths should shape change design? | an ordered method |
| Bridges | How are people psychologically experiencing transition? | project stages or adopter categories |
| Kotter errors | Why is transformation failing? | the corrective process itself |
| Kotter stages | What process builds and anchors major change? | Bridges phases |
| Gleicher | Is D×V×F strong enough to overcome R? | a numeric KPI formula |
| Rogers | How does adoption spread / how does an individual decide? | a transition-emotion model |
| Communication Plan | How will messages be designed, delivered and measured? | the change vision itself |
Model-choice rule
- psychological/loss clue → Bridges;
- transformation failure or ordered process → Kotter;
- D/V/F/R ingredients → Gleicher;
- adopter groups, decision stages or innovation characteristics → Rogers;
- message/audience/channel/timing/metrics → Communication Planning.
High-confusion clues
| Scenario clue | Think | Not automatically |
|---|---|---|
| old ended; new not normal; experimentation | Bridges Neutral Zone | Kotter complacency |
| change feels arbitrary/imposed | people resist being changed | “people hate change” |
| no compelling reason to move now | urgency / dissatisfaction | more technology |
| one champion, no broad influence | insufficient Guiding Coalition | vision problem |
| many tasks, no destination | vision weakness | plan weakness only |
| vision exists, leader behavior contradicts it | Walk the Talk / credibility | more repetition |
| early visible success causes stopping | declaring victory too soon | failure to create wins |
| D and V strong, no credible next action | weak F | weak D |
| pilot works, mainstream cautious | Rogers diffusion gap | Neutral Zone by default |
| can try before committing | trialability | observability |
| benefits visible to peers | observability | compatibility |
| need messenger/channel/timing/metrics | Communication Plan | change vision |
Cross-chapter connections
- Chapter 16 — Organization & Roles: Ch16 designs structures/roles; Ch17 explains how people move into and sustain changed ways of working.
- Data Governance: governance usually requires changed accountability, stewardship, coalition, vision and behavior.
- Data Quality: quality must evolve from cleansing/scorecards or IT-only concern into organizational capability.
- Maturity: capability maturity means changed operating behavior; improvement must survive the initial driver.
- Security / Compliance: audit/regulation/security can create urgency but still need coalition, vision and sustainment.
- Metadata / MDM / Architecture / BI: new tools/processes become organizational change only when responsibilities and behavior actually change.
Synthesis checks
D + V strong, no first move? → Gleicher, weak F.
Pilot visible, only Innovators/Early Adopters use it? → mainstream diffusion has not occurred.
Weekly vision emails + leaders preserve silo exceptions without explanation? → Walk the Talk + explain inconsistency failure.
Source: pp. 541–575.