Lewin's Change Model

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Teaching. (2019, April 28). Unfreezing change as three steps: Rethinking Kurt Lewin’s legacy for change management [Video]. YouTube.

• Unfreezing, Changing, and Refreezing:

  • This three-step process is simple and practical for managing change.

• Unfreeze (Preparation for Change):

  • People naturally resist change, so it's important to create a perception that change is needed.

  • Identify how current behaviors are hindering the organization and demonstrate the necessity of change and its benefits.

• Change (Transition):

  • This phase involves the actual process of change, where the organization moves into a new state.

  • Employees need to learn new behaviors, processes, and ways of thinking.

  • It's crucial to help employees become familiar with the change and remind them of the reasons behind it and the benefits it brings.

• Refreeze (Solidifying Change):

  • Refreezing involves solidifying the changes as the new status quo and avoiding reverting to old behaviors.

  • The changes need to be cemented into the organizational culture, possibly through positive rewards and reinforcement.

• Overall Approach:

  • The approach emphasizes creating a perception of the need for change, transitioning into the new state, and solidifying the changes as the new norm within the organization's culture.

Burnes, B. (2020). The Origins of Lewin’s Three-Step Model of Change. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 56(1), 32–59. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0021886319892685

• Background on Kurt Lewin:

  • Lewin, recognized as the intellectual father of organizational change, was originally known for his work in child psychology and the creation of field theory, which is considered a meta-theory serving as the basis for other theories and methods.

• The Three-Step Model's Origins:

  • The three-step model originated from Lewin's application of field theory, initially relating to child psychology. The model consists of unfreezing, moving, and freezing, with these labels being attached in his final publications.

• Influence of Field Theory:

  • The model is deeply rooted in field theory, which was influenced by gestalt psychology. Field theory emphasizes perceiving patterns as coherent wholes rather than isolated elements, and it stresses the importance of analyzing the whole situation rather than individual components.

• Action Research:

  • Lewin's variant of action research, developed in 1946, involves a democratic-participative iterative process where research leads to action and vice versa, with voluntary participation and democratic decision-making being key.

• Understanding Group Dynamics:

  • To comprehend the effects of changing forces on behavior, understanding group dynamics is crucial. Lewin emphasized the interdependence of group members' fate rather than their individual characteristics.

• Importance of Freezing Change:

  • Once change has occurred, it is essential to solidify it as the new status quo to prevent regression to old behaviors. This involves embedding changes into organizational culture and reinforcing them positively.

• Frontiers in Group Dynamics:

  • Lewin's writings before his death focused on quasi-stationary social equilibria, social changes, and social feedback processes. He highlighted the importance of considering various factors for successful social change and the circular causal process of action research.

• Overcoming Resistance to Change:

  • Breaking habits and unfreezing customs require additional forces to overcome resistance. Identifying and modifying forces promoting or resisting change is essential for successful change efforts.

• Iterative Nature of Change:

  • Change is an iterative process involving planned social action, where vague ideas evolve into concrete plans based on fact-finding and feedback loops at each step.

• Evolution of Nomenclature:

  • The terminology of the three-step model changed over time as Lewin's proficiency in English grew and as he embraced a less formal and authoritarian approach, necessitating the use of ordinary language to explain real-world changes.

• Complexity of the Model:

  • Despite criticism of its simplicity, Lewin's model is built on a deep understanding of human psychology and behavior, and it is iterative rather than linear or prescriptive, with a naturally occurring sequence.