Managing the Three Stages

in the Organization Change Process

Organization change is happening at a faster and faster pace. With so

many different changes taking place, it is hard to keep track of what is
going on with each change effort. One way to think about and try to
manage (or, at least, respond effectively to) organization change is to
recognize that there are three stages or states in the change process:
the present state, the transition state and the future state.

Sometimes managers think that they can just develop a plan for the
future state and then expect the organization members to start acting as
if they are already operating in that future state. The reality is that there
needs to be a transition plan and a recognition that the organization
needs to go through a transition state -- giving up old ways of doing
things and getting adjusted to new ways of doing things before arriving
at the future state.

The transition plan should help everyone understand all of the steps
required and how they will be accomplished to move from the present
state to the future state (e.g., changing the organization structure,
changing work processes, adding new equipment, training employees,
developing new procedures, changing negative cultural norms, helping
customers or the public understand the reasons for the changes and
how they will benefit from them, etc.). Managers can help the
organization move from the present state to the future state by
understanding the different challenges at each stage and using different
change management strategies as explained on the next page.

1 Lamb & Lamb

 Present State
The “Unfreeze” the organization
Challenge is (loosen it up and prepare it to comprehensive transition
to: accept change)
Change Management Strategies That Help
Explain why change is needed
Develop and communicate a
vision of the future
Ensure that there is cultural
support for the change
Transition State Future State
Implement a Stabilize and support the
change while remaining
plan … Experiment and open to more change
learn while the organization opportunities and
is experiencing: requirements
¾ Emotional stress
¾ Low stability
¾ Unfocused energies
¾ Conflict
¾ Efforts to control
¾ A desire to return to the
past
Involve people in the Acknowledge and
operational levels of celebrate each success
planning and implementing
the change
If cultural change is Demonstrate continued
desired, model the desired commitment to the goals
cultural norms of the change
Help people express and Reassure people that it
work through their strong takes time to develop new
negative emotional skills and that mistakes
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Establish transition
management roles (e.g.,
project manager) that will help
manage the change effort
Ensure that comprehensive
strategic plans have been
developed for both the future
state and the transition state
Demonstrate ongoing
sponsorship commitment to
the change
reactions to the change are acceptable as long as
people are learning from
them
Provide the needed training Ensure that continuous
and resources improvement processes
are in place and used
Continue to communicate
with all organization
members throughout the
change process
Use symbolic messages
that will have meaning for
people
Encourage appropriate risk
taking
Look for and celebrate the
“small successes”
2 Lamb & Lamb