Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist, and a leader in change management, developed a 3 Stage Model of Change. The concept relating to the development of this change model was to study the areas of (i) the change process in an organisation’s environment and (ii) how the status-quo could be challenged to make changes more effective. In brief, the model functions to understand the present situation and initiate a change process that will lead to a future state. Lewin identifies that the group’s behaviour towards change enforces an individual’s behaviour. Therefore the stages rely upon the group’s behaviour and the individuals within the group.
Let’s take a moment to delve deeper into the three stages of Lewin’s model.
STAGE ONE: UNFREEZING
In his Force Field Analysis model, Lewin identifies two types of forces that can come into play during the “unfreezing” stage. The two types of forces (hat are evident at this stage are (i) restraining forces (resistance to the change) and (ii) driving forces (positive forces for the change) When an organisation wants to move from its present state to the desired state, these forces come into play.
Concerning any change, Lewin states that human behaviour acts in a “quasi-stationary equilibrium state.” At this stage, the mental and physical capacity of an individual’s mindset can be reached but is not typically attained. Therefore, if the group is resistant to change, Lewin states that this behaviour has to be unfrozen for the group to be open to organisational change.
Adopting Lewin’s Force Field Analysis Model, shows some common forces that leaders and managers are likely to face. To oppose these restraining forces to change and gain support, the leaders and managers should implement the driving forces.
Restraining Forces from Groups or Individuals | Driving Forces to counteract the Restraining Forces |
Employees do not understand why there is a need for change | Leaders and managers need to explain the reasons for the change and how they will benefit |
Worried that the change will create an additional work burden | Inform the group and people how their tasks will be simpler and improve their productivity and efficiency |
As Lewin states, “motivation for change must be generated before change can occur”. The unfreezing (“melting the ice”) component will consist of determining what needs to be changed, the reasons to support why the change needs to be made, developing the need for change and being open to the group and individual concerns before starting the change process.
STAGE TWO: CHANGE PROCESS
The “unfreezing” stage is now complete.
Next, the change process needs to be planned well, with many options available: there is no guarantee that the change will be successful without considering options. By creating options, you can see what works and what does not by trial and error, plus evaluating the success or failure of each option. The change process must encourage openness through communication, involve the groups and individuals, plus empower these people to (a) be proactive and (b) take action. Rumours should be dispelled. The evaluation process must consider the impact of the leadership during the change and the flow of information. Learn from the positive and the negative aspects of the change, i.e. what worked and what did not.
STAGE THREE: REFREEZING
The “refreezing” process is designed to make the change sustainable. This process becomes the new “normal” (status-quo) for groups to accept. Groups no longer present resistance as the change has occurred and will be sustainable in the future. Lewin’s model presses the need for the “refreezing” process to occur. Failure to implement this “refreezing” process will result in groups going back to their old norms and behaviours, defeating the purpose of the change.
The “refreezing” process will need to implement formal and informal mechanisms so that the change can be frozen without disruption. As part of this process, leaders and managers must foster the following:
- Organisations need to identify change supports and barriers. Similarly, the changes should be built into the organisation’s culture.
- Communicate and encourage openness.
- Ensure that the groups and people have access to the necessary training.
- Promote ways that the change is sustainable in the long term.
The final step in the “refreezing” process is to celebrate the success of the change.