4 Models for Change Management

Change management can be compared to the training you undergo when starting a new job.

12:06 22 May 2020

If you hadn’t received all the necessary information and knowledge of the routine processes to go through then the first few months would have been jarring to say the least and the same can be said of change management.

If change is thrust upon employees then resistance is the first stumbling block your business will encounter so you need to handle any change process carefully. This can be done by managing the people side of any transformation with empathy so that staff can make successful personal transitions that will ultimately spell the success of your company.

Modelling on success

This is why most successful companies employ the services of a change management specialist and a popular business model for change which can help make any transitions just that little bit smoother. Each model has its own particular “flavour” and here are some of the 4 most popular models to help you decide which one you prefer:-

ADKAR – goal focused change

Change management training will teach you that ADKAR is an acronym based on the 5 building blocks of Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement and that these can be used to bring about successful change when applied to any problem or situation. This is a goal focused, sequential model that can be repeated as necessary and teaches that it is culminative change that is successful with each step building on the previous one in order to reach a successful outcome.

Lewin’s change management

This popular model was developed in the 1950s but is still as relevant in the business world today. It is based on 3 words or verbs

Unfreeze

Change

Freeze

This model is very easy to understand when you run the parallel of a change with re-shaping ice in order to understand the model’s metaphor. For example; if you wanted to change a block of ice into a new shape (change), you would have to defrost it and re-mould it. The unfreeze stage is perhaps understandably the most difficult part because people stick to the status quo but when employees begin accepting of and adapting to the change; the re-freeze process sets the new change in place and increases the stability of the company.

Kotter’s 8-step change model

This more in-depth model consists of 8 stages from creating a sense of urgency through to the institute of change and was the brain child of John Kotter after carrying out detailed analysis of 100 changing organisations. The model was recently revised in 2015 to reflect the rapidly increasing pace in both global and organisational change.

Kubler-Ross five-step model- the Change Curve

Change management certification will teach you that this interesting model is based on the five stages of grief; denial, anger, depression, bargaining and acceptance. It is a very realistic model that expects the first reaction to be ultimately one of resistance but that the healing curve of change will conclude with a positive outcome.