Essay on Kotter 8-Step Change Mode

Introduction

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation has its headquarters in Toyota, Aichi, and produces a variety of vehicles around the world. Toyota had a global workforce of approximately 350,000 in 2010 and was the world’s top car manufacturer in 2012 based on production. Toyota has a global revenue ranking of 9^th. The background of the company’s logo displays the infinite values that it conveys to its customers, and they include;

• Innovation
• Humility
• Respect
• Imagination
• Experimentation

In the context of humanity, the company is performance-driven. Among the employees and consumers, I believe this is widely recognized. The diversity of the Toyota corporation is dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture in which everyone is treated with dignity. As a result, the organization values and fosters a diverse workforce. All establishments must be COVID compliant, not just for customers but also for staff (GOSTIN, FRIEDMAN, & WETTER, 2020). This was the purpose of organizational reform. Due to the current status of the globe, I believe this was a benefit and a necessary development. For the time being, this virus is here to stay, and Toyota’s business model will need to change to remain profitable. The transformational approach was outlined as the plan’s primary strategy. Things have changed dramatically since the outbreak and continue to do so now. This includes regulations as well. When the virus was initially discovered, the corporation decided to close all of its locations until they could determine what was safe to reopen. To ensure that the customer experience remained consistent while ensuring all parties’ safety when they finally opened stores, they implemented measures to ensure their safety. They planned to do this by making everyone, including employees and customers, wear masks, clean frequently, and asking everyone to keep a social distance from one another (GOSTIN, FRIEDMAN, & WETTER, 2020). This method cost them money upfront when they closed stores, but it paid off in the long run by allowing them to make money and remain in business. The techniques or tactics that they could have used would have been to allow curbside pickup in the interim or to close the stores that did not offer drive-through service to continue generating money while adjusting to the new normal.

The steps using Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model

1. To keep their locations open and safe, they had to take immediate action in the face of this epidemic. The safety and well-being of the company’s employees and customers come first. To accomplish this, they must ensure that both groups are up-to-date on the latest safety measures.
2. Senior management checks the guidelines and refers to the change officers in each region to implement these adjustments.
3. The aim is to keep on top of new safety procedures while offering unbroken service until everyone has had the vaccine or the virus has been completely eradicated.
4. Leaders will share the vision with their teams and address any questions or concerns that arise. Each procedure will have paperwork available for the personnel to refer to whenever needed, making implementation go more smoothly.
5. If problems arise as a result of the new procedures, they must be brought to the coalition’s attention to be handled and resolved securely.
6. Toyota will be able to open more sites as each one implements the new rules and standards. For this organization, each location that reopens is a short-term victory.
7. When Toyotas found that the practices they implemented were effective, they expanded the adjustments to other facilities to reopen as well.
8. The new regulations and practices are now second nature to the personnel, and customers are more comfortable returning to the stores because they know they will be safe. Since these guidelines were successfully implemented, people have been able to keep their occupations while also remaining safe. Despite COVID’s inevitable demise, I believe that at least some of its norms will continue to serve its culture well in the years to come.

Conclusion

Toyota values and fosters a diverse workforce as a key to its long-term success. They pledge to treat all applicants with decency and respect as an equal opportunity employer. Toyota values inclusivity and is dedicated to fostering a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity. Additionally, they have employee resource groups to foster a diverse workplace that welcomes all their partners, regardless of where they come from.

References

Book Review: How TOYOTA Became 1: Leadership Lessons from the Worlds Greatest Car Company. (2008). Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 25(4), III–VI.

GOSTIN, L. O., FRIEDMAN, E. A., & WETTER, S. A. (2020). Responding to COVID-19: How to Navigate a Public Health Emergency Legally and Ethically. Hastings Center Report.