In Kotter's Eight-Stage Change Process, which stage corresponds to recognizing and rewarding employees who achieve short-term wins?

• A. Create Urgency
• B. Generate Short-Term Wins
• C. Consolidate Improvements
• D. Anchor New Approaches

Answer: (B)

Recognizing and rewarding short-term wins is about making visible progress and celebrating tangible improvements quickly after a change effort starts. This reinforcement helps maintain momentum, motivates people, and shows that the change is delivering real benefits. In Kotter’s sequence, the stage that focuses on this immediate reinforcement is the one that emphasizes generating short-term wins: identifying easy-to-achieve improvements, celebrating them publicly, and recognizing those who contributed. This practice builds credibility for the change, reduces resistance, and provides evidence to keep pushing forward.

The other stages are about starting the change—creating urgency, forming a guiding coalition, and crafting and communicating a vision—as well as removing obstacles, consolidating gains, and anchoring new approaches in the culture. They are essential for different purposes, but they don’t center on recognizing and rewarding short-term wins like this stage does.