Canada under Kotter methodology.
Vol. 2
Step 5. Enable Action by Removing Barriers.
Kotter says: "Remove the obstacles that slow things down or create roadblocks to progress. Clear the way for people to innovate, work more nimbly across silos, and generate impact quickly."
I spent an entire day at the Ukrainian Embassy in Warsaw, navigating endless bureaucratic hurdles to extend my sons' passports.
Arriving at 7 AM, I didn’t manage to enter the building until the afternoon — followed by several more hours of waiting inside.
Poland had opened its doors to an unprecedented number of Ukrainian refugees, heroically assisting thousands of women and children standing in lines across the country, trying to secure essential documents.
Poland — even the sound of the word now stirs in me tenderness, love, and profound gratitude. Nowhere else have I experienced such widespread empathy, kindness, and unwavering support from complete strangers. The Polish people, with their deep historical memory and ability to feel the pain of others, stood beside us in ways I could never have imagined. Our shared grief and mutual contempt for the aggressor created a bond I will never forget.
Poland revived me — physically, emotionally, and morally. And though I no longer believe in God, the people I met and the help we continue to receive feel nothing short of divine.
At last, the effort bore fruit. My kid's passports were extended. I secured a consent letter from their father — still in Ukraine, as men were prohibited from leaving — allowing me to take them to Canada.
Canadian volunteers helped us secure four tickets after I found a family willing to host us.
And through it all, I continued working full-time.
These few lines capture only a fraction of the strength, tears, and emotions I invested in this process.
Many people ask me how we found a family. And I always repeat - I didn't choose a province like many Ukrainians do. I decided to go where we would find people who would host us.
Since my boys are noisy, and there are a lot of us - 4 people (me, my two kids, and my mother), I understood that not every family would take such a risk. I scrolled through the I CAN HELP HOST every night. And on the second attempt, we found a family. I will write about them separately because they are truly unique people. And it happened that they live in Nova Scotia. That's why we're here.
In the old version of Kotter's model, step 5 was stated as "Empower others to act." Despite already having the tickets, documents, and an address to where we would go, my family and I were already so exhausted and emotionally drained from the news from Ukraine that I was literally ready to give up on this crazy idea at the last moment.
After all, things were good for us - we had a place to live in Warsaw and I had my job. My boys were going to school... It would have been reckless to leave. But...
One warm May evening, we were all walking together, and I said that if I didn't try my luck in Canada, I would regret it for the rest of my life. And, of course, everyone supported me. It turned out that all decisions in our family are made by me.
Commitment 3. Don't let yourself to be enchanted by first wins.
Step 6. Generate Short-Term Wins.
Kotter says: "Wins are the molecules of results. They must be recognised, collected, and communicated – early and often – to track progress and energize volunteers to persist."
On May 10, 2022 we all received our foil-less visas. Now we just should have packed our suitcases calmly to set off again... Canada was waiting for us. I celebrated the results, praised myself for how much I managed to do on my own, but I realized how much still lay ahead.
In moments like this, I think back to our escape from Kyiv — six days and nights in the car, without food, water, or a chance to truly rest. I felt as if I had fused with the vehicle itself, no longer knowing where my body ended and the car began. But we made it. We survived.
And when I remember that, I realize: I can reach another height.
Because if I was able to get my family out from under Russian bombs, I can face anything.
I’ve already done the impossible once — and that strength is still with me.
Step 7. Sustain Acceleration.
At this stage, the biggest challenge was tying up all loose ends in Poland. The most pressing task? Selling the car — which, to complicate matters, was still under a loan. With only a week before our departure, finding a buyer in such a short time seemed nearly impossible. But then, as if guided by fate, a buyer appeared just in time. I managed to finalize all the paperwork remotely, and they came to Warsaw to collect the car after we had already landed in Canada.
Letting go of the car was unexpectedly too emotionally draining process. It had been more than just a vehicle — it was a lifeline, a refuge, a silent witness to our journey. It had carried us to safety, endured sleepless nights, and shielded us when the world outside felt unsafe. Parting with it felt like closing a chapter, yet I knew it was necessary to move forward.
To this day, I still have its photo, and I can almost feel the familiar contours of the driver’s seat imprinted on my back.
The note I left for the new owners is saying:
Hello. This car carried us out of the war. It drove for six days without stalling, failing, or complaining even once. It is the best and most reliable car in the world. Since 2021, we have called it our “tank,” not knowing what lay ahead. And it truly is a tank — reliable, beautiful, and strong. A car that protects children and mothers like a guardian. Please take good care of it. I love it very much. Olga. May 31, 2022.
"Only forward," I reminded myself. To embrace the new, you must learn to let go — to say goodbye, even when it hurts. The path ahead was shrouded in uncertainty, but clinging to the past was not an option.
We bid farewell to our Polish family, our teachers at the Polish school… The goodbyes were heavy — bittersweet, heartbreaking, and undeniably terrifying.
Commitment 4. Remember your strengths.
If you managed to drive a car for six sleepless days and nights, you are resilient enough to move forward.
Step 8. Institute Change.
Kotter says: "Articulate the connections between new behaviors and organizational success, making sure they continue until they become strong enough to replace old habits. Evaluate systems and processes to ensure management practices reinforce the new behaviors, mindsets, and ways of working you invested in".
On June 7, 2022, we arrived in Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
And that was the beginning of another story, full of difficulties, experiences, challenging situations, and fears... But at the same time, we are getting better every day.
My boys are completing their first year of school in Canada, they have grown their hair like most of their classmates, they play volleyball, and they sit on the tree in the backyard every day...
And we saw the ocean for the first time...
Commitment 5. If you can say "I did my best of the best in this project, you will succeed".
Below is a brief chronology of my actions, as well as all 8 steps of change management according to Kotter, which helped me to maintain focus and keep common sense and stick to my guns.
March 17, 2022 - I got to know about Canada-Ukraine Authorisation for Emergency Travel (CUAET)
March 21, 2022 - I applied to get visas
April 20, 2022 - we submitted biometrics
May 10-12, 2022 - we got our foil-less visas
May 12, 2022 - I found a host family
May 25, 2022 - we got our tickets
June 7, 2022 - we arrived in Canada
The 8 Steps for Leading Change. Kotter’s award-winning methodology is the proven approach to producing lasting change.
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Today, as I tell this story over and over again, it's incredibly difficult for me to believe in it. And despite my bravery, sometimes bordering on recklessness, I would not have been able to endure without people who supported me and my family during the most challenging period of our lives — when we had to flee from the war started in 2014 and continued in 2022 by Russians...
With endless gratitude and respect Patrycja Weglorz Kornelia Weglorz Andrea Cannavò Olena Barabash Adam Burke, FCPA, FCA Natalia Chudaeva Rayna Laiken Baker Tatyana Sabitova Roman Potapkin and everybody who support Ukrainians.
Slava Ukraine.
May 7, 2023.