Change Management

Models
Change is an inevitable, yet difficult, aspect of a growing business.
However, you don’t need to adopt a “resistance is futile” attitude to get
people on board and drive change. Change management models are
designed to act as compasses that help you navigate difficult transitions
and guide you and your team towards more than acceptance – to
adopt new processes and maximizing ROI for business process changes.
What Is a Change Management Model?
Change management models are concepts, theories, and methodologies
that provide an in-depth approach to organizational change. They aim to
provide a guide to making changes, navigating the transformation process,
and ensuring that changes are accepted and put into practice.

Whether those changes apply to new hires who are learning the company
processes, company-wide changes involving internal tools, department-
specific changes, or anything in-between, change management
frameworks are designed to make the changes easier to implement and,
more importantly, to solidify the change as the new norm.
Most Effective Organizational Change
Management Models in 2023
1.Lewin’s Change Management Model
2.McKinsey 7-S Model
3.Nudge Theory
4.The ADKAR Change Management Model
5.Kübler-Ross Change Curve
6.Bridges’ Transition Model
7.Satir Change Model
8.Kotter’s 8-Step Theory
9.Maurer 3 Levels of Resistance and Change Model
10.Deming Cycle (PDCA)
1. Lewin's Change Management Model
Change is the foundation for organizational development. Yet, most
employees prefer the status quo over transformational change. Change
management models are designed to help you navigate through
transitional phases and guide your team members towards adapting to
new change – allowing businesses to maximize ROI.

One popular change model was proposed by change leader Kurt Lewin,
which balances the driving and restraining forces to manage
organizational changes such as digital transformation, software
implementation, and business process improvements.
What Is Lewin’s Change Model Theory?
Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Theory states that restraining forces influence the
behavior of both the group and individuals, ultimately deciding the fate of
change. The driving forces motivate & steer employees towards the new
state. The restraining forces highlight potential resistance to change, acting
as the prime barriers to change initiatives.

Lewin suggests that it is crucial to balance these forces through effective

change communication and employee involvement, by providing employee
training to bridge the skill gap. Change agents must implement stress
management techniques, ensure compliance is met, and use convincing
change reasoning.
The 3 Stages of Change in Lewin’s Model
Stage 1 - Unfreeze
The first stage in Lewin’s model deals with perception management and
aims to prepare the affected stakeholders for the upcoming
organizational change. Change leaders must look at ways to improve
the company’s preparedness for change and create a sense of urgency
similar to Kotter’s change model.

During this stage, effective change communication plays a vital role in

getting the desired team member buy-in and support of the people in
the change management.
The following activities under the ‘unfreeze’ stage will help you
embrace change better:

Conduct a needs analysis by surveying your organization to understand

the current loopholes in the business processes
Obtain organizational buy-in
Create a strategic change vision and change strategy
Communicate in a compelling way about why change has to occur
Address employee concerns with honesty and transparency
Stage 2 - Change
Once the status quo is disrupted, this stage deals with the implementation of change.
In this stage, you must consider an agile and iterative approach that incorporates
employee feedback to smoothen the transition.

You can further look at the following actionable items to keep uncertainty at bay:

Ensure a continuous flow of information to obtain the support of your team members
Organize change management workshops and sessions for change management
exercises
Empower employees to deal with the change proactively
Generate easy wins as visible results will motivate your team
Stage 3 - Refreeze
Employees move away from the transition phase towards stabilization or acceptance in the final’
refreezing’ stage.

However, if change leaders fail to strengthen the change by reinforcing it into org culture, employees
might revert to previous behaviors.

The following activities will help you support the change:

Identify and reward early adopters and change champions

Collect employee feedback regularly
Offer on-demand employee training and support
Explore digital adoption platforms such as Whatfix to be your partner in change with intuitive features
such as interactive walkthroughs, customizable popups, and multi-format self-help content.
How Can Lewin’s Change Model Be
Implemented?
1. Changing the Behaviour and Skills of a Workforce: More often than
not, every change initiative requires behavior modification and
continuous upskilling of employees. Building on an existing skillset
allows employees to take over more responsibilities. Therefore, it’s
crucial to offer continuous employee training until the change is second
nature.
2. Changing the Processes, Structures, Systems in an Organization:
Successful change initiative requires a balanced approach to changing
the business processes, structures, and systems. For example,
McDonald’s incurred multi-billion dollars loss due to its inability to
balance innovation against process efficiencies. It failed to recognize
how extensive customization to its food preparation would impact its
speed and increase operational costs.
3. Changing the Culture of an Organization: McKinsey suggests that
companies with strong culture achieve up to 3x shareholder returns. To
reap the long-term benefits of any change initiative, you must anchor
the changes in org culture. For example, Hubspot values culture and
product equally. It has an extensive 128-page culture code check to
ensure that its culture stays strong as ever. Additionally, Hubspot takes
an employee-first approach and invests heavily in employee
development and upskilling.
An Example of Lewin’s 3-Stage Model in
Action - Nissan
The Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Company was on the verge of bankruptcy due to its huge
debt and constantly declining market share. However, Nissan entered into a strategic alliance with
Renault under the change agent Carlos Ghosn where Nissan aimed to get rid of its financial debt.
At the same time, Renault wanted to expand its market share.

Carlos Ghosn was faced with the challenge of implementing a transformational change and
turning around the operations of Nissan to make it profitable. He formed multiple cross-functional
teams to reduce employee pushback and recommend a robust action plan in different functions.
He developed a strong change management strategy to tackle various business challenges and
increased employee involvement in the change journey through effective communication and
positive reinforcement.
For refreezing the behavioral change of the team members, he introduced performance-based
pay, empowered employees to try non-conventional methods, and implemented an open
feedback system for guiding and facilitating the employees in enhancing workplace adaptability.
2. McKinsey 7-S Model
The McKinsey 7-S Model is a change framework based on a company’s
organizational design. It aims to depict how change leaders can
effectively manage organizational change by strategizing around the
interactions of seven key elements: structure, strategy, system, shared
values, skill, style, and staff.

The model highlights that there exists a domino effect when any one
element is transformed to restore effective balance. The central
placement of shared values emphasizes that a strong change culture
impacts all the other elements to drive change.
The Elements of the McKinsey 7-S
Framework
Structure
Strategy
System
Shared Values
Skill
Style
Staff
Hard Elements
1. Strategy
The strategy element is a detailed plan that organizations create for successful change implementation
and to gain a competitive edge. A well-crafted strategy is aligned with the other six elements of the 7-S
model and is reinforced by a strong vision, mission, and values.

2. Structure
Structure or organizational structure refers to a clear chain of command to avoid chaos & confusion.
Structure is a simple yet crucial element as it creates a sense of employee accountability within the
organization.

3. Systems
Systems refer to the business processes and operational procedures employed to complete a business’s
routine activities. An organization’s SOPs consist of such practices and workflows that directly impact
productivity and decision-making.
Soft Elements
4. Shared Values
These are the core values governing an organization’s health. While implementing a change,
organizations expect a behavioral modification from their employees, which is only possible
in a strong change culture and organizational values.

5. Style
This element refers to the management style prevalent in a company that decides the level of
employee productivity and satisfaction.

6. Staff
This element represents the talent pool required, the size of the existing workforce, and their
motivations. It also considers how they are trained and rewarded within the organization.
Here are the following action items to
consider before applying the 7-S model:
1.Identify the Gaps and Unaligned Processes
Identify the gaps and inconsistencies in your organization’s existing business processes and list out
the unaligned areas, as well as what needs to change to restore the effective balance.

2. Determine the Ideal Organizational Design

This step is research-intensive and requires change leaders to find the sweet spot where
management’s vision of an optimal organizational design aligns well with the sentiments across the
rest of the team members.

3. Create an Effective Action Plan

After identifying the outliers, change agents must create a detailed implementation plan. The action
plan should include required changes to the organization’s hierarchy, the communication flow, and
reporting relationships, which will allow the company to achieve the desired organizational design.
4. Implement the Change
The change implementation stage is the most critical stage of any change
initiative, and only well-implemented changes will avoid resistance to change
and prevent overall change failures. You should identify internal change
agents or hire change consultants best suited to implement your changes.

5. Maintain the Momentum with Continuous Review Processes

These seven elements are highly dynamic and change constantly. Therefore,
practitioners must track these elements and their impact on one another to
maintain the momentum of change.
Examples of the McKinsey 7s Model in
Action
1. Nokia
From initially being a mobile phone industry pioneer, to drastically losing market share, and finally getting
acquired by Microsoft, Nokia’s journey of change failure can be explained using the 7-S framework.

Strategy: Nokia faced a dilemma and had to optimize costs and volume, enhance performance, and
maximize security. Nokia opted for a cost-leadership approach and failed miserably on its innovation and
performance fronts.

Structure: Nokia had a top-down line of hierarchy where employees were working in silos with limited
communication. To compete with the likes of Apple, Nokia should have opted for an agile and
decentralized structure, along with a collaborative approach.

Systems: Nokia considered agility and being nimble as its key competitive advantages. With a skilled
workforce, Nokia was in a position to innovate its products and increase operational efficiency.
2. McDonald’s
Here’s how the fast-food giant leverages McKinsey’s 7-S model for driving organizational change:

Strategy: McDonald’s gained a significant market share through its cost-leadership approach.
Additionally, it sets clear SMART goals to achieve the long-term and short-term vision.

Structure: Unlike other multinational coporations (MNCs) with complex hierarchical structures,
McDonald’s has a flat structure where a store manager manages its employees. Employees work as
a close-knit team and have easy access to the senior management if required.

Systems: McDonald’s is known for constantly innovating to reduce the wait time and make its entire
production and supply chain more efficient – such as its new McDonalds app and self-ordering
kiosks.
Shared Values: McDonald’s aims to have a high level of integrity, serve a wide range of customers,
hire employees from different backgrounds, encourage teamwork, and finally, give some profits
back to the community with its core values: Serve, Inclusion, Integrity, Community, and Family.

Style: McDonald’s leverages a participative leadership style where seniors engage with employees
at different levels to seek their feedback to improve operations and resolve conflicts.

Staff: With over 210,000 employees, McDonald’s is one of the largest employers in the world. It
believes in the concept of diversity and works towards employee satisfaction.

Skills: McDonald’s regularly trains its employees to provide an unparalleled customer experience
and handle objections.
3. Nudge Theory
Nudge Theory relies on subtle, indirect suggestions that are backed up
by evidence so that employees will be nudged in the direction of
change that you desire. The premise is that “nudging” change is more
effective than strictly enforcing change. Below are the theory’s basic
principles:
Nudge Theory
What is Nudge Theory?
Before we look at the meaning of nudge theory, let’s take some time to
understand what nudging is. At its simplest, nudging refers to the process
of influencing behavior through small changes in information. It affects
someone’s choice without taking away the agency to choose.

The nudge theory suggests that indirect suggestions and positive

reinforcements are instrumental in influencing people’s decisions and
actions. It’s a behavioral science concept first developed by Richard H.
Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein—two American scholars—in their book,
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness (2008).
Therefore, the nudge theory proposes that indirect techniques can successfully influence
someone’s behavior instead of direct instructions. Here are a few examples of nudge
theory from daily life.

When You Buy A Burger, You’re Likely To Purchase Fries And Soft Drinks When They’re
Offered As A Suggestion

When There Is An Additional Cost For Plastic Bags At Stores, You’re Less Likely To Purchase
One, Thereby Reducing Plastic Consumption

Schools Often Hang Posters Or Pictures Of Inspirational Leaders And Their Quotes To
Encourage Students To Think In A Particular Way
The Importance Of Nudge Theory At Work
Reduce Meeting Time
It’s no secret that in a majority of meetings, plenty of time is spent on sharing information. But this doesn’t
affect action. Managers can solve this challenge by reducing the time allocated for meetings. This encourages
people to spend less time discussing data or sharing information.

Workout At Work
Organizations should prioritize employee well-being. An effective way of doing this is designing the office so
that healthier options are more dominant. For example, several offices have staircases placed in prominent
locations while elevators are hardly visible. Such a prompt is likely to encourage individuals to take the stairs
and practice healthy lifestyle choices.
Minimize Waste
To foster healthy habits, several organizations have reduced the number of waste bins available on every floor.
Fewer waste bins across the corners of the office will discourage employees from generating more waste such
as unwanted printouts and papers. The distance between their workstations and the wastebin will make a
huge difference.
Implementing Change Through Nudge
Management
The First Step Is To Define The Change That’s Needed And Talk To Employees About It. If They Are On The Same
Page, It’s Easier To Avoid Any Conflicts Or Fallout.

Conduct A Stakeholder Analysis And Check How The Change Will Affect Everyone Involved. It’ll Provide You With
Clarity And Direction To Improve Your Strategy If Needed.

Nudge Theory In Management Is Only Effective When It’s Supported By A Rational Plan. Identify What
Resources Will Be Needed, Including The Time To Make And Adjust To Changes.

Once Your Change Management Plan Is In Action, Be Open To Feedback—It’s A Powerful Nudging Technique.
Understand What Your Employees Are Or Aren’t Happy With.

Most Importantly, You Need To Be Patient While Implementing Change. There Will Be Highs And Lows And You’ll
Need To Power Through All Of Them. Stay Focused On Your End Goal And Be Prepared For Bottlenecks, If Any.
4. The ADKAR Change Management Model
The ADKAR Model of Change Management is an outcome-oriented
change management method that aims to limit resistance to
organizational change. Created by Jeffrey Hiatt, the founder of Prosci,
the ADKAR Model is the Prosci change management methodology.
What Does ADKAR Stand For?
Awareness
Desire
Knowledge
Ability
Reinforcement
How to Apply the ADKAR Model For
Organizational Change
GOAL 1: Create awareness of the need to change.
Without a doubt, communicating the need for change is fundamental, but creating awareness for the change goes beyond
simply announcing it. In order for employees to be truly aware of the necessity for change, they must not only understand the
reasoning behind it but also come to agree with that reasoning.

Begin by providing clear explanations of why the change is needed.

Let’s say you’re introducing Microsoft Sharepoint. Start by explaining that when employees travel or work from home, it’s
difficult for them to access documents and communicate with the in-office team. To solve this problem, the company will use
Microsoft’s SharePoint cloud-based service.

Be sure to focus on the benefits of the change as they apply to the people affected. In this case, SharePoint will allow off-site
workers to easily access documents and data. Making the switch will streamline communication and eliminate information silos.

Lastly, always encourage your team to ask questions about how you decided on the change and how it will be implemented, and
about other aspects of the change process plan.
GOAL 2: Foster desire to make the change
Just because employees understand why a change should be made doesn’t mean that they want that change. In order for them to adopt the change,
they must desire it. Thankfully, you can foster that desire.

Start by designating change leaders. Not only will your change leaders show public support for the change, but they most naturally connect with the
people who will be affected by it. Choose change leaders who are able to relate to how daily routines will be affected so that they can provide specific
support and guidance.

In order to foster desire, change leaders need to get specific about the benefits of the change as they apply to particular individuals or teams. Avoid
touting advantages for the company.

You may want to replace three separate tools with Salesforce because it saves you money, but that’s not a great motivator for employees. Instead,
present the change as something that will benefit them in their day-to-day work lives. In this case, Salesforce will make it easier for them to run reports,
monitor customer relationships, and implement marketing strategies all in one place, saving them the trouble of using three different tools.

When fostering desire, resistance to change is a major obstacle. Resistance is to be expected, but you need to understand the core reason for it. Are
people scared that they don’t have the skills to make the change? Is that they are worried about how it will affect their job duties? Employees frustrated
by the extra effort needed to learn something new?

Once you understand the root cause of the resistance, address it head-on and, if necessary, make adjustments to your change implementation plan.
Goal 3: Provide knowledge on how to change
The knowledge milestone in the ADKAR Model is primarily about training and education. In order to begin
the transition, your team will need to understand how their responsibilities, skills, tools, and processes will
be impacted.

Given that everyone must reach each milestone individually, knowledge-building needs to be specific.
Provide knowledge that applies directly to each team’s or individual’s responsibilities. For example, if you
are introducing new software, the IT team may be responsible for setting everyone up to use it, while other
departments will need to focus more on how to use the software. The knowledge needed to perform
distinct roles in the change is different even though the overall change may be the same.

Take time to evaluate what additional skills, tools, and duties the change will require. Doing so will allow you
to plan your change schedule around the necessary skill development. And remember: Too much change all
at once can be jarring and lead to resistance. If your change requires employees to learn a large amount of
new material and/or master new skills, implement the change gradually.
Another way to increase comprehension is to use a variety of creative
employee training methods:

Traditional classroom training

Job shadowing/mentoring
Videos
Blog series
Interactive self-guided learning
Goal 4: Ensure that employees have the ability to make the change
Regardless of how well employees know how to do something, having confidence in their own
competencies determines whether or not they can or even will do something.
The Prosci change management methodology uses athletics to prove this point: While plenty of baseball
fans understand the mechanics behind throwing a curveball, not all of them would make great pitchers.

To bridge the gap between knowledge and ability, put change leaders in charge of coaching individuals or
teams. Task change leaders with collecting feedback from their teams and bringing potential issues and
obstacles to your attention.

Hands-on training is also extremely valuable. By giving teams a chance to test out the change before fully
rolling it out, you give them the opportunity to build confidence. Plus, you can monitor performance and
provide detailed feedback. For larger-scale changes, consider implementing them in stages so you can
identify issues early on and make adjustments to your implementation plan.
Goal 5: Reinforce the change
Initial momentum may get you to the finish line, but you won’t cross it if employees start relying on old habits. Once new processes are in place, new
software is installed, or the new organizational chart is official, reinforce the change long after its implementation.
Celebrate success during and after the transformation so that you can build and maintain enthusiasm. Try creative motivation techniques like these:

Zendesk’s Champagne Campaign, which involves setting small goals for employees and then recognizing the success by placing a small bottle of
champagne on their desks
iDoneThis’s weekly show-and-tell video call, which provides an opportunity for employees to share what they are proud of accomplishing
Correct mistakes and poor behavior in private when people slip back into old habits. On the other hand, give praise publicly so that the entire
organization can celebrate together.

In the meantime, continue to collect feedback. The change process may be “complete,” but employee feedback is still valuable. Listen to employees to
identify pain points and see where extra support would be beneficial.

Lastly, include time for reinforcement in your change management plan. You should continue monitoring and reinforcing the change all through Q4 if you
intend to be fully switched over to SharePoint by the end of Q3. Change cannot be solidified overnight; reinforcement efforts should go well beyond the
target completion date.

The Complete Guide to Change Managem

Accelerate change by seeking support
The ADKAR model provides an excellent framework for many types of
organizational change. However, that doesn’t mean you should depend
solely on the ADKAR change management methodology. Each milestone
may require additional support from change leaders, change management
software, and employees, so be ready to seek out that support.

You may also consider combining the Adkar model with other established
change management models. In order to have a framework to handle
emotional reactions, ADKAR model could be paired with people-centric
methods.
5. The Kubler Ross Change Curve in the
Workplace
The Change Curve, or Kübler Ross’ Change Curve Model, was created by the
Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in 1969. It depicts 5-stages of
grief denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

However, the utility of this model also extends to the corporate world, to better
understand the emotional turmoil faced by an employee due to any change
initiative at the workplace, such as a new software implementation or business
process improvement.

Change practitioners may implement this model to identify any barriers to

change projects early on and strategize accordingly.
5 Stages of the Kübler Ross’ Change Curve
Model
5 Stages of the Kübler Ross’ Change Curve
Model
1. Denial
The first stage is shock or denial, and an individual puts forward their defense mechanisms to deflect
the actual occurrence of the change. There is a steep decline in employee productivity in this stage, as
it’s only human to cling to past processes or individual expectations, leading to a disconnect with
reality.

2. Anger
When the reality of change sinks in, it’s manifested in the form of fear or anger. Any change initiative
has the potential to spiral out of control in this stage, resulting in significant change failures.

For example, video marketing software company Wistia focused on aggressive business growth. Post its
profitability, leaders went astray from company values, causing employee burnout & attrition. Instead
of investing in the existing strategy and framework, the company hired aggressively, spent more on
advertising, and consumed its current profits.
3. Bargaining
Once an individual crosses the anger stage of the change curve, they attempt to salvage the situation
by exploring the path of least objection. They may try to negotiate and find a compromise.

4. Depression
In the depression stage, a person loses hope entirely. There are signs of extreme sadness, regret, and
demotivation.

5. Acceptance
In the final stage of the change curve, individuals come to terms with the change. Their inhibitions
are lowered, they accept the change, and start to explore new favorable opportunities that are a
result of the change. Once employees accept the change, you must cement the change into your
organizational culture to avoid reverting to old habits.
Benefits of the Change Curve
Industry agnostic: The Change Curve is based on observations and in-
depth study of the subject matter. The stages in this curve are not
influenced by any specific industry and fit well across industries.
Ease of use: The change curve has straightforward stages and a fairly
simple implementation making it relatively easier to use than other
change models such as ADKAR and Kotter’s Change Model.
Objective change management: The change curve focuses entirely on
emotional responses to change, which empowers managers to be
confident that their teams will respond in a set pattern.
Limitations of the Change Curve
Different responses: Different employees will adapt at different speeds
resulting in employees being at different stages in the change curve., This
often leads to planning and time management issues.
Observational model: The initial five stages of grief were based on the
observation of terminally-ill patients and death. In the case of another
scientific model with the strong support of empirical data, it can render this
model irrelevant, as it wasn’t originally created with corporate change in
mind.
Connection between the stages: The change curve doesn’t establish a clear
interconnection between its stages, as not every individual undergoes all
the stages.
Applying the Change Curve to
Organizational Change
Here are the most effective action items for implementing the
change curve model to support your organization’s change projects:

. Clear change communication

When team members are in the shock or denial stage, they need reassurance. This can
only come from transparent and clear change communication. Change communication
must highlight the need for change, vision, strategy, and impact on the stakeholders.

2. Avoid roadblocks
When an individual is in a state of anger, self-destructive tendencies may surface.
During this stage, change agents must keep an eye out for the potential roadblocks
that may slow down your change journey. You must manage this change by being an
active listener and observer. Create a safe space for employees to voice their opinions.
3. Offer contextual employee training
When there is a dip in employee productivity as a result of team members
trying out and exploring new software, process, or other change, it’s essential
to offer personalized employee training programs to help your workforce
onboard a new tool or learn a new process – helping to bridge any skill gaps
and build confidence.
4. Recognize & celebrate critical milestones
A change invokes several emotions and may cause discomfort. However, when
employees begin behavioral modification and being to accept the change,
organizations must recognize the initial drivers of change and reward them.
Once you achieve a critical milestone, be sure to celebrate these wins.
6. Bridges’ Transition Model
Bridges' Transition Model focuses on transition, not change. The difference
between these is subtle but important.
According to the model, change is something that happens to people, even if they
don't agree with it. Transition, on the other hand, is internal: it's what happens in
people's minds as they go through change. Change can happen very quickly, while
transition usually occurs more slowly.
The Bridges' Model was created by change consultant, William Bridges. He first
wrote about his ideas in his 1979 book, "Transitions: Making Sense of Life's
Changes," going on to revise and republish several times with his business partner
and spouse, Susan Bridges. Their 1991 book, "Managing Transitions,"
demonstrated how the model could be applied in the workplace, and Susan
developed this further following William's death in 2013.
The Three Stages of Transition According to
Bridges
Ending, Losing, and Letting Go.
The Neutral Zone.
The New Beginning.
Bridges' Transition Stage 1: Ending, Losing, and Letting Go

At this stage, people may experience these emotions:

Fear.
Denial.
Anger.
Sadness.
Disorientation.
Frustration.
Uncertainty.
A sense of loss.
Guiding People Through Stage One
It's important to acknowledge people's resistance without judgment. Allow them
time to reflect on the current situation rather than simply demanding that they let
go of it. Encourage everyone to talk about their memories, to express what they
will (and won't!) miss, and what they're proud of having achieved. In these
conversations, make sure that you listen empathically and communicate openly.
Emphasize how people will be able to apply their accumulated skills, experience,
and knowledge once you've implemented the change. Explain how the best parts
of the past will be remembered and celebrated, but equally how you'll give people
what they need (training and resources, for example) in the new environment.
People often fear what they don't understand, so the more you can educate them
about a positive future, and communicate how their knowledge and skills are an
essential part of getting there, the likelier they are to move on to the next stage.
Bridges' Transition Stage 2: The Neutral Zone
Here, people might experience:
Resentment toward the change initiative.
Low morale and low productivity.
Anxiety about their role, status or identity.
Skepticism about the change initiative.
Guiding People Through Stage Two
Your guidance is incredibly important as people go through this neutral period. This can be an
uncomfortable time, because it can feel like drifting, and it can seem that little progress is being
made.
What the change is and where you're headed may be unclear during the neutral zone, so let
the team know that it's OK to feel lost or unsettled. Remind them of team goals, and encourage
them to talk about what they're feeling.
Meet with your people frequently to give feedback on how they're performing, especially with
regard to change. It's also important to set short-term goals during this stage, so that people
can experience some quick wins; this will help to improve motivation as well as giving everyone
a positive perception of the change effort.
Also, do what you can to boost morale and continue to remind people of how they can
contribute to the success of the change. If required, you may also want to help people manage
their workloads, either by deprioritizing some types of work, or by bringing in extra resources.
Bridges' Transition Stage 3: The New
Beginning
At this stage, people are likely to experience:
High energy.
Openness to learning.
Renewed commitment to the group or their role.
Guiding People Through Stage Three
As people begin to adopt the change, it's essential that you help them
sustain it. Use techniques like Management by Objectives to link
people's personal goals to the long-term objectives of the organization,
and regularly highlight stories of success brought about by the change.
Take time to celebrate the change you've all gone through, and reward
your team for all its hard work. However, don't become complacent –
remember that not everyone will reach this stage at the same time, and
that people can slip back to previous stages if they think that the
change isn't working.
7. Satir Change Model
Improvement is always possible. This conviction is the heart of the
transformation system developed by family therapist Virginia Satir. Her
system helps people improve their lives by transforming the way they
see and express themselves.

An element of the Satir System is a five-stage change model (see Figure

1) that describes the effects each stage has on feelings, thinking,
performance, and physiology. Using the principles embodied in this
model, you can improve how you process change and how you help
others process change.
Stage 1: Late Status Quo
The group is at a familiar place. The performance pattern is consistent.
Stable relationships give members a sense of belonging and identity.
Members know what to expect, how to react, and how to behave.

Implicit and explicit rules underlie behavior. Members attach survival value
to the rules, even if they are harmful. For instance, the chief of an
engineering group has an explicit rule — all projects must be completed on
schedule. When the flu halts the work of several engineers, the chief
requires the group to compensate by working ten hours a day, seven days a
week. After experiencing too many crises at both work and home, the
engineers begin to bicker and the project falls apart.
For this group, the chief’s explicit rule about deadlines is their Late Status Quo. They don’t
necessarily enjoy the amount of work they had to do, but they know and understand what is
expected of them. The team feels the pressure from the chief’s rule about deadlines and
compensates accordingly. The pressure works for small problems. With a major problem, like the flu,
the group cannot cope with the chief’s expectations and a pattern of dysfunctional behavior starts.

Poor communication is a symptom of a dysfunctional group. Members use blaming, placating, and
other incongruent communication styles to cope with feelings like anger and guilt. Stress may lead to
physical symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal pain that create an unexplainable increase
in absenteeism.

Caught in a web of dysfunctional concepts, the members whose opinions count the most are
unaware of the imbalance between the group and its environment. New information and concepts
from outside the group can open members up to the possibility of improvement.
Stage 2: Resistance
The group confronts a foreign element that requires a response. Often
imported by a small minority seeking change, this element brings the
members whose opinions count the most face to face with a crucial
issue.

A foreign element threatens the stability of familiar power structures.

Most members resist by denying its validity, avoiding the issue, or
blaming someone for causing the problem. These blocking tactics are
accompanied by unconscious physical responses, such as shallow
breathing and closed posture.
Resistance clogs awareness and conceals the desires highlighted by the foreign
element. For example, a powerful minority within the marketing department of a
tool manufacturer engages a consultant to do a market survey. She finds a
disturbing trend: A growing number of clients believe that a competitor is
producing superior quality products at a lower price. Middle and upper
management vehemently deny the findings and dispute the validity of the survey
methods. But after a series of frank discussions with key clients, upper
management accepts the findings. They develop a vision for propelling the
company into a position as the industry leader in product quality and support.

Members in this stage need help opening up, becoming aware, and overcoming
the reaction to deny, avoid or blame.
Stage 3: Chaos
The group enters the unknown. Relationships shatter: Old expectations may no
longer be valid; old reactions may cease to be effective; and old behaviors may not
be possible.

The loss of belonging and identity triggers anxiousness and vulnerability. On

occasion, these feelings may set off nervous disorders such as shaking, dizziness, tics,
and rashes. Members may behave uncharacteristically as they revert to childhood
survival rules. For instance, a manufacturing company cancels the development of a
major new product, reduces the number of employees, and reorganizes. Many of the
surviving employees lose their ability to concentrate for much of the day.
Desperately seeking new relationships that offer hope, the employees search for
different jobs. Both manufacturing yield and product quality takes a nosedive.
Managers of groups experiencing chaos should plan for group
performance to plummet during this stage. Until the members accept the
foreign element, members form only halfhearted relationships with each
other. Chaos is the period of erratic performance that mirrors the search
for a beneficial relationship to the foreign element.

All members in this stage need help focusing on their feelings,

acknowledging their fear, and using their support systems. Management
needs special help avoiding any attempt to short circuit this stage with
magical solutions. The chaos stage is vital to the transformation process.
Stage 4: Integration
The members discover a transforming idea that shows how the foreign
element can benefit them. The group becomes excited. New relationships
emerge that offer the opportunity for identity and belonging. With
practice, performance improves rapidly.

For instance, an experienced accounting group must convert to a new

computer system. The group resists the new system fearing it will turn
them into novices. But the members eventually discover that skill with this
widely used system increases their value in the marketplace. Believing that
the change may lead to salary increases or better jobs, the members begin
a vigorous conversion to the new system.
Awareness of new possibilities enables authorship of new rules that build
functional reactions, expectations, and behaviors. Members may feel
euphoric and invincible, as the transforming idea may be so powerful that it
becomes a panacea.

Members in this stage need more support than might be first thought. They
can become frustrated when things fail to work perfectly the first time.
Although members feel good, they are also afraid that any transformation
might mysteriously evaporate disconnecting them from their new
relationships and plunging them back into chaos. The members need
reassurance and help finding new methods for coping with difficulties.
Stage 5: New Status Quo
If the change is well conceived and assimilated, the group and its environment are in
better accord and performance stabilizes at a higher level than in the Late Status Quo.

A healthy group is calm and alert. Members are centered with more erect posture and
deeper breathing. They feel free to observe and communicate what is really
happening. A sense of accomplishment and possibility permeates the atmosphere.

In this stage, the members continue to need to feel safe so they can practice.
Everyone, manager and members, needs to encourage each other to continue
exploring the imbalances between the group and its environment so that there is less
resistance to change.
I’ve observed groups, after many change cycles, become learning organizations?
they learn how to cope with change. The members of these organizations are not
threatened or anxious about the types of situations that they used to experience as
foreign element. Instead, these situations excite and motivate them.

For example, the customer services group of a computer manufacturer learns to

adapt their repair policies and techniques to any new product. Supporting a new
computer system used to scare the group but not anymore. Management
communicates and reinforces the vision of seamless new product support. Some
members influence the design of support features for the new products. Other
members plan and teach training courses. All members provide feedback to
improve the process.
Postscript: Coping With Change
Stage Description How to help
1 Late Status Quo Encourage people to seek improvement information and concepts from
outside the group.
2 Resistance Help people to open up, become aware, and overcome the reaction to
deny, avoid or blame.
3 Chaos Help build a safe environment that enables people to focus on their
feelings, acknowledge their fear, and use their support systems. Help
management avoid any attempt to short circuit this stage with magical
solutions.
4 Integration Offer reassurance and help finding new methods for coping with
difficulties.
5 New Status Quo Help people feel safe so they can practice.
8. Kotter’s Theory
Kotter’s 8-step change model is a change management model that
empowers organizations to tackle organizational change and digital
innovation by mobilizing their workers to drive rapid adoption and
implementation of a new change initiative. Kotter first introduced his 8-
step change management model in 1996 in his book, Leading Change,
which was later updated (and published in the book Accelerate, in
2014) to accommodate evolving business requirements and help them
speed up the transformation process in an increasingly fast-paced
world.
What are the 8 steps in the Kotter Change
Model?
1. Create a Sense of Urgency
2. Form a Guiding Coalition
3. Create a Strategic Vision
4. Initiate Change Communication
5. Remove Barriers to Change
6. Generate Short-Term Wins
7. Make Change a Continuous Process
8. Incorporate Changes in the Org Culture
The 8 Steps in Kotter’s Change Model
1) Create a Sense of Urgency
It’s human nature to maintain the status quo and have some form of resistance to the new change. However, a
sense of urgency can often spark the initial motivation to initiate a change implementation process.

It’s crucial to communicate the need, and reason, for any change for employees to see change as a possible
solution to an existing problem. As a change agent or change consultant, you must obtain the buy-in of at least
75% of the organization’s management to lead effective change.

For example, suppose an organization is losing new customers due to a slow response time for inbound sales
leads. In this case, you must reason out with evidence that a new sales CRM such as Salesforce will shorten the
sales cycle and help them hit their sales goals easily.

It’s difficult to argue with this reasoning. It provides a solid explanation of why transitioning to Salesforce is an
urgent need. Plus, it addresses Kotter’s ‘Head + Heart’ principle by framing the change in a way that highlights
the benefits to the sales team.
2) Form a Guiding Coalition
Driving a change initiative isn’t a one-person job. The ‘Leadership + Management’
change principle stresses that organizational changes need multiple leaders’ opinions,
ideas, and support.

Your guiding coalition comprises people you choose as your support system, including
managers and supervisors under effective change leadership.

Another principle applicable here is ‘Select Few + Diverse Many’ principle. Designated
change leaders (select few) delegate tasks to experienced individuals (Diverse Many).
Educate them about the reason for the change to feel confident in its need, to ensure
that you have support from various functions.
3) Create a Strategic Vision
A change initiative is often challenging to understand at the lower hierarchical levels. Start
with a change management plan that clearly outlines all project milestones and
deliverables. When the vision is only in your head, it’s easy to underestimate how long the
initiatives, such as training or data migrations, will take. A documented vision helps you
balance various aspects of the change implementation and set more realistic timelines.

For example, handling customer service in Salesforce will call for additional training.
Change leaders acknowledge concerns about activity by assuring their team that they will
be supported by self-guided training directly in Salesforce and through weekly one-on-one
check-ins with their change leader, showcasing how change appeals to the ‘Head + Heart’
principle.
4) Initiate Change Communication
Organizations often focus more on a change’s logistics over properly
communicating the change. Change must be understood and supported for it to
be successful – without effective change management communication, the change
initiative is likely to fail. As a change practitioner, you must:

Talk often about your vision and change implementation plan

Address employees’ concerns transparently
Apply your vision to all operational aspects – from training to performance reviews
Lead the change by setting an example
5) Remove Barriers to Change
The top-to-bottom approach of change imposition is often met with
employee pushback. To successfully drive the change, you must identify
all the factors likely to reduce its chances for success.

Whether it’s individuals, org culture, or limited resources, there will

likely be a few barriers to change. Identify these obstacles as early as
possible and rely on available resources to break them down without
disrupting other business areas.
6) Generate Short-Term Wins
Implementing change is a long and cumbersome process. To keep your
employees motivated throughout their change journey, you must
recognize and celebrate short-term wins and achievements.

Try out innovative reward systems such as rewarding team members

with gift cards or extra vacation days. Tools such as Lattice or Honey
allow you to publicly recognize employees for their efforts. These small
acts can go a long way in keeping your team on track and motivating
new members to adopt the change.
7) Make Change a Continuous Process
There is a large gap between implementation and complete adoption. A
change initiative can easily fail if the people driving the change become
complacent due to short-term success or get disheartened due to
barriers.

Therefore, change leaders must set SMART goals in advance and keep
analyzing simultaneously to improve to reap long-term benefits.
8) Incorporate Changes in the Org Culture
Change initiatives require behavioral change, and for a change to be fully adopted,
it must be deeply rooted in an organization’s culture and processes. According to
Accelerate, “accelerators 1-7 are all about building new muscles.” The final aspect
of Kotter’s 8-step change model is about maintaining those new muscles.

It’s crucial to offer continuous employee training methods until the change is
reinforced as a habit. If you abandon your team members too soon, you risk them
falling back into old practices and losing all the new muscle memory you fought so
hard to build. Success stories keep employees on board with better and
continuous process improvements.
Corporate Example of Applying Kotter’s
Model of Change
The cloud data services and management organization NetApp was on the verge
of losing its business, as it faced tough new competitors. It applied Kotter’s 8-step
change model to achieve three strategic goals:

Grow its market share

Implement global partnerships
Drive organization efficiencies
Applying these goals led NetApp to bundle its solutions into packages, as well as
create a new streamlined approach to sales. After the application of Kotter’s
model, NetApp saw a 44% increase in revenue, a 55% increase in sales, and a $14
billion growth in market capitalization.
Advantages of Kotter's Change Model
It is an easy-to-implement, step-by-step change management model
that provides a clear description of the entire change process.
Emphasis is on the involvement and acceptability of the employees by
forming a guiding coalition and getting organizational buy-in for the
success of the change initiative.
It highlights the importance of creating a sense of urgency. Therefore,
this mindset, combined with a well-drafted change vision, can set your
organization up for success.
Disadvantages of Kotter's Change Model
The process focuses highly on creating urgency but lacks detail
The model is sequential and time-consuming. Missing out on any steps
can lead your change management team astray
Being a top-down model, it limits the scope of employee participation,
resulting in frustration
4 Principles of Kotter’s Change Management
Model
Leadership + Management- Managers must support the change the administration
requires for the initiative to succeed.
Head + Heart- Data and logic alone are unlikely to motivate people to adopt a new
business process or software implementation, communicating how they will
personally benefit from the alteration to make what’s new more appealing or, even
better, desirable.
Select Few + Diverse Many- You need a core group of supporters from different
hierarchy levels and varied job experiences. Prepare to recruit support from multiple
levels of management, including those closer to the employees whose day-to-day
work is most affected by the transformation.
“Have To” + “Want To”- Transitions run more smoothly — and faster — when those
affected by it want it to happen.
9. Maurer 3 Levels of Resistance and Change
Model
Fortune 500 executives said that resistance was the primary reason
changes failed. And 80 percent of the chief information officers said
that resistance – not a lack of technical skills or resources – was the
main reason why technology projects failed. It’s that soft, touchy-feely,
human reaction of resistance that matters.

But these statistics are only partly right. Resistance is not the primary
reason why changes fail. The real problem is that leaders plan and roll
out major changes in ways that create inertia, apathy, and opposition.
For example, an executive announces that the company will restructure
starting next week. Employees and middle managers begin to resist. As
the project unfolds, executives see resistance appear in many forms –
malicious compliance, in-your-face arguments, even sabotage. The
executives respond by pushing the change even harder. Then they make
demands. Employees redouble their opposition and the change ends
up either failing or going far over budget and way past deadlines.
You’ve Got to Know What Creates
Resistance to Change
Resistance is in the eye of the beholder. The people resisting don’t see what they are doing as
resistance – they often see it as survival.

Resistance to change is a reaction to the way a change is being led. There are no born “resistors”
out there waiting to ruin otherwise perfect plans. People resist in response to something.

Resistance protects people from harm. If I’m a novice downhill skier, it’s resistance that keeps me
from taking the chair lift to the top of Bodycast Mountain. In an organization, resistance keeps me
from saying “yes” to an assignment that I think will kill my career. After all, people aren’t dopes.

The better we are at seeing what causes resistance, the easier it will be to build support for our
ideas. In other words, if we understand resistance, we also understand the other side of that coin
– support for change.
Three Levels of Resistance
Level 1 – I Don’t Get It
Level 2 – I Don’t Like It
Level 3 – I Don’t Like You
Level 1 – I Don’t Get It
Level 1 involves information: facts, figures, ideas. It is the world of thinking and
rational action. It is the world of presentations, diagrams, and logical
arguments.

Level 1 may come from . . .

Lack of information
Disagreement with data
Lack of exposure to critical information
Confusion over what it means
Many make the mistake of treating all resistance as if it were Level 1.
Well-meaning leaders give people more information – hold more
meetings, and make more PowerPoint presentations – when, in fact,
something completely different is called for. And that’s where Levels 2
and 3 come in.
Level 2 – I Don’t Like It
Level 2 is an emotional reaction to the change. Blood pressure rises,
adrenaline flows, pulse increases. It is based on fear: People are afraid
that this change will cause them to lose face, status, control – maybe
even their jobs.

Level 2 is not soft stuff. You can’t say, “Just get over it,” and expect
people to say, “Wow, thanks, I needed that.” Level 2 runs deep. When it
kicks in, we can feel like our very survival is at stake.
When Level 2 is active, it makes communicating change very difficult. When adrenaline
shoots through our system, we move into fight-or-flight mode (or we freeze, like a deer
in the headlights). And we stop listening. So no matter how terrific your presentation is,
once people hear “downsizing” their minds (and bodies) go elsewhere. And this is
uncontrollable. They are not choosing to ignore you, it’s just that they’ve got more
important things on their minds – like their own survival.

Organizations usually don’t encourage people to respond emotionally, so employees

limit their questions and comments to Level 1 issues. They ask polite questions about
budgets and timelines. So it may appear that they are with you, but they’re not. They
are asking Level 1 questions while hoping that you’ll read between the lines and speak
to their fears. And here is a really tricky part – they may not even be aware that they are
operating on such a basic emotional level.
Level 3 – I Don’t Like You
So maybe they like you, but they don’t trust you – or don’t have confidence in
your leadership. That’s a hard pill to swallow, I know. But lack of attention to Level
3 is a major reason why resistance flourishes and changes fail. And it is seldom
talked about. Books on change talk about strategies and plans (all good stuff, to be
sure) but most of this advice fails to recognize a major reason why change fails.

In Level 3 resistance, people are not resisting the idea – in fact, they may love the
change you are presenting – they are resisting you. Maybe their history with you
makes them wary. Perhaps they are afraid that this will be “a flavor of the month”
like so many other changes, or that you won’t have the courage to make the hard
decisions to see this through.
But maybe its not you. People may resist those you represent. The statement,
“Hi, I’m from headquarters, I’m here to help,” often leaves people skeptical. If
you happen to be that person from headquarters, you’re going to have a hard
time getting people to listen to you.

Whatever the reasons for this deeply entrenched resistance, you can’t afford to
ignore it.

People may understand the idea you are suggesting (Level 1), and they may
even have a good feeling about the possibilities of this change (Level 2) – but
they won’t go along if they don’t trust you.
How You Can Turn Resistance Into Support
Level 1 – Make Your Case
Make sure people know why a change is needed. Before you talk about how
you want to do things, explain why something must be done.
Present the change using language they understand. If your audience isn’t
made up of financial specialists, then detailed charts showing a lot of
sophistical analysis of the numbers will be lost on them.
Find multiple ways to make your case. People take in information in different
ways. Some like to hear things. Others like to see things. Some like pictures.
Others text. Some learn best in conversation. The more variety in the
communication channels, the greater the chance that people will get what
you have to say.
Level 2 – Remove as Much of the Fear as You Can – and Increase the
Excitement about What’s Positive About the Change
Emphasize what’s in it for them. People need to believe that the change will
serve them in some way. For example, work will be easier, relationships will
improve, career opportunities will open up, or job security will increase.
Get them engaged in the process. People tend to support things they have a
hand in building.
Be honest. If a change will hurt them – downsizing, for instance – then tell the
truth. It’s the right thing to do, and it stops the rumor mill from inventing
stories about what might happen. Also, honesty bolsters their trust in you (a
Level 3 issue).
Level 3 – Rebuild Damaged Relationships – and Tend to Neglected Relationships
Mea Culpa. Take responsibility for things that may have led to the current tense relations.
Keep commitments. Demonstrate that you are trustworthy
Find ways to spend time together so they get to know you (and your team). This is
especially helpful if the resistance comes from “who you represent” and not just from
your personal history together.
Allow yourself to be influenced by the people who resist you. This doesn’t mean that you
give in to every demand, but that you can admit that you may have been wrong, and that
they may ideas worth considering.
The Israeli statesman Abba Eban once said, “Men and nations behave wisely, once
they’ve exhausted all other alternatives.” My hope is that this short white paper may help
you behave wisely before you go through all those other alternatives. We wish you well.
10. Deming Cycle (PDCA)
The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), also known as the Deming cycle, is an
essential technique for process improvement. It’s a framework that
helps you change and improve your processes.
PDCA is a methodology for achieving continuous process improvement.
It’s essentially a feedback loop of improvement – you establish how
the process operates as-is, figure out how to improve it, and finally,
implement the changes.

The concept was first developed by Dr. Williams Edwards Deming, a

management consultant, in the 1950s.
PDCA consists of 4 phases…
Plan – Identify what the problem is and analyze it. Find process
inefficiencies. Develop potential solutions.
Do – Implement the solution on a small scale (for minimized risk).
Check – Benchmark your new process to the old. Is it more efficient?
Were you right about the problem / solution? If the solution is less than
satisfactory, go back to the “plan” phase and come up with better
options.
Act – If the solution was helpful, implement it company-wide.
There are 2 common use-cases for PDCA:
Problem-Solving – Whenever something breaks down or isn’t
functioning as it should be. PDCA can be used as an analysis tool for
uncovering the issue and coming up with a solution.

Process Improvement – The fact that something is “working” doesn’t

mean it’s functioning the best it could be. You can use PDCA as a means
of finding potential improvements to existing processes.
The 4 Phases of PDCA Cycle
Plan
Before you can make any change to the process, you need to pinpoint the exact issues you’ll be addressing.

If there’s an explicit problem you’re trying to solve, you could use something like the 5 Whys analysis to find it. The gist of the methodology is, you keep
asking “why” until you uncover the root cause of any problem.

So for example…

Why are the sales down?

Because the sales team are underperforming
Why?
The new leads are uninterested and cold
Why?
The marketing department started working with new affiliate lead generation partners
Why?
The finance department rejected the tender from the older partner
Why?
The partner company raised their rates by 15%
Once you know what the root cause of the problem is, you can start
coming up with solutions. In this case, if the company revenue is taking a
significant hit, it might be a good idea to switch back to the old partner
(despite the rates). Or, the company could always look for new potential
partners.

If the process is working as it should & you’re simply looking to improve

it, you should consider process mapping instead. For this, you’ll need to
figure out how the process works as-is and then create a flowchart
diagram. As an example, the following is a client onboarding flowchart…
Do
Once you’ve found the right solution to a problem or a new way to optimize a
process, you can start the implementation.

This should, however, be on a small-scale. You can’t know for sure whether your
fix is going to be successful, and running it company-wide can be extremely risky.

The “small-scale” depends on what the process is. More often than not, though,
this means a single team, department, or a manufacturing site (as opposed to the
whole plant).
Check
Now that you have empirical data on how well your new process works, you can benchmark it to the old.

It’s crucial to be very critical of this part, though. At a glance, your solution might be working as planned. Later,
however, you might discover that it only works in the short-term.

For example, with your new process, you might be able to increase product output. While this sounds amazing
at first, you might later realize that the new process also has a significantly higher defect rate, bringing you all
the way back to square one.

So, unless you’re 100% certain that the solution you’re using is the best option, you might want to consider
other possibilities. If you’re not, you can always start all over from the “Plan” phase.

Once you’ve found the best potential solution, you can move on to the final phase.
Act
You can finally start applying the solution company-wide. You should consider,
though, that PDCA is a loop, not a one-time initiative.

While your process is functioning better now, you can’t really know if that’s the
best it can be. Maybe you’ll discover a better way of carrying out a certain process
step? Or, some new software could help automate the process?

Your new process has now become the baseline, which you should always try to
improve. You can repeat the PDCA process as many times as needed until you’re
certain that the process is as efficient as it can be.
https://wmbridges.com/about/what-is-transition/
https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2022/01/bridges-transition-m
odel/
https://www.mindtools.com/ahpnreq/the-four-principles-of-change-m
anagement
https://whatfix.com/blog/lewins-change-model/
https://harappa.education/harappa-diaries/what-is-nudge-theory-and-i
ts-examples/
https://rickmaurer.com/articles/resistance-to-change-why-it-matters/
https://tallyfy.com/pdca-cycle/