Lewin’s Change Theory - UnFreeze, Change, ReFreeze Method

Summary

This video explores Kurt Lewin's Change Theory, a foundational model in social psychology for understanding behavior and organizational change. The Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze model is introduced, emphasizing the balance between driving and resisting forces in change. The video outlines three steps: unfreezing the status quo, implementing change swiftly, and refreezing with new practices for lasting impact. It encourages applying this model to both organizational and personal change, highlighting the importance of planning, communication, and consistency.

Takeaways

• 🧩 Kurt Lewin is known as the father of social psychology and developed a specific model of change known as the Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze model.
• 🔄 Lewin's Change Theory is based on the concept that all behavior is a dynamic balance of driving and resisting forces, which either push for change or prevent it.
• 🚀 The Unfreeze stage involves increasing driving forces, decreasing resisting forces, or a combination of both to create a state conducive to change.
• 🤔 Understanding an organization's core values and beliefs is crucial for identifying what needs to be changed, which may involve unlearning harmful or outdated practices.
• 🗣️ Communication is key during the Unfreeze stage, ensuring everyone is aligned on the need for change and the reasons behind it.
• 🏊‍♂️ The Change phase requires swift action, similar to diving into cold water, to minimize discomfort and ensure the organization adjusts quickly to the new state.
• 🔄 Involvement of all members in the change process is essential, with everyone understanding the 'why' and 'how' behind the change.
• 🔒 The Refreeze stage is about making the change permanent by implementing practices that integrate the changes into the organization's culture and operations.
• 📚 Adjustments may include updating handbooks, contracts, or training materials to reflect and reinforce the new changes.
• 🌟 Positive reinforcement, such as rewards and recognition, can help solidify the change and make it a lasting part of the organization's behavior.
• 🛠 Lewin's Change Theory can also be applied to personal change, by examining and adjusting one's own beliefs and values to facilitate habit change.

Q & A

Who is considered the father of social psychology?

Kurt Lewin is considered the father of social psychology.

What is Lewin's change theory?

Lewin's change theory is a model that explains how behavior changes in organizations, focusing on the dynamic balance of driving and resisting forces that influence whether change occurs.

What are the two main forces in Lewin's model?

The two main forces in Lewin's model are driving forces, which push towards change, and resisting forces, which prevent change from happening.

What is the unfreeze change refreeze model?

The unfreeze change refreeze model is a three-step process proposed by Lewin for implementing lasting change. It involves unfreezing the current state, making the change, and then refreezing the new state to solidify the change.

How does the unfreeze change refreeze model relate to the process of melting and refreezing ice?

The model uses the analogy of melting and refreezing ice to explain how an organization can change its structure. Just as ice must be melted to take a new shape, an organization must 'melt' its structure before it can implement changes and 'refreeze' into a new form.

What are the three approaches to the unfreezing process according to Lewin?

The three approaches to the unfreezing process are: increasing driving forces, decreasing resisting forces, or a combination of both to shift the equilibrium towards change.

Why is understanding an organization's core values and beliefs important in the unfreezing phase?

Understanding an organization's core values and beliefs is crucial for identifying what needs to be changed and for planning how to address both driving and restraining forces effectively.

What should be done during the change phase to ensure a successful transition?

During the change phase, a clear plan must be communicated, and the change should be implemented swiftly. It's important to involve every member in the process and ensure everyone understands the reasons and methods behind the change.

How is the refreeze stage different from the other stages in Lewin's model?

The refreeze stage is focused on making the change permanent by establishing new practices, revising policies, and reinforcing the change through positive reinforcement, ensuring that the new behaviors and structures become the norm.

What role does upper management play in Lewin's change model?

Upper management plays a critical role in Lewin's change model by directing the organization's thoughts, sharing their own values that support the change, and preparing for and managing any pushback against the change.

Can Lewin's change theory be applied to personal changes as well?

Yes, Lewin's change theory can be applied to personal changes by analyzing one's own driving and resisting forces, adjusting beliefs and values, and making changes consistent to establish new habits.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Lewin's Change Theory

This paragraph introduces the concept of Lewin's change theory in the context of organizational behavior. Kurt Lewin, known as the father of social psychology, proposed a model for organizational change called the 'unfreeze-change-freeze' model. The theory is based on the dynamic balance of driving and resisting forces that influence whether change occurs or not. If driving forces exceed resisting forces, change is possible. The paragraph also explains the need to address both types of forces to implement lasting change, using the analogy of melting and refreezing ice to illustrate the process of change in organizations.

05:01

🔄 Lewin's Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze Model

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of Lewin's change model, emphasizing the three-step process of unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. The unfreezing step involves increasing driving forces, decreasing resisting forces, or using a combination of both. It's crucial to evaluate the current situation and understand the core values and beliefs that may need unlearning. Communication is key, and upper management must prepare for potential pushback and have a solid plan for change. The change phase requires swift action, clear communication, and involvement of all members. The refreeze stage is about making the change permanent through practices that integrate the new behaviors and beliefs into the organization's culture.

Keywords

💡Lewin's Change Theory

Lewin's Change Theory is a model developed by Kurt Lewin that explains how individuals and organizations can be motivated to change. It is central to the video's theme as it provides a framework for understanding and implementing change. The theory introduces the concept of 'unfreezing' current behavior, making changes, and then 'refreezing' the new behavior to ensure it sticks. The video uses the analogy of melting ice to explain the process of unfreezing and refreezing, illustrating how change can be managed in an organization.

💡Driving Forces

Driving forces, as mentioned in the video, are the motivational elements that push individuals or organizations towards change. They are a key component of Lewin's Change Theory, representing the positive influences that encourage movement away from the status quo. The video explains that if driving forces are stronger than resisting forces, change can occur, highlighting their role in the unfreezing phase of the model.

💡Resisting Forces

Resisting forces are the obstacles or elements that prevent change from happening. They are the counterbalance to driving forces and can be internal or external to an organization. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing resisting forces during the change process, as they can hinder the unfreezing and refreezing stages of Lewin's model.

💡Unfreeze

The unfreeze stage is the first phase of Lewin's Change Theory, where the current state of an organization or individual is disrupted to allow for change. The video uses the metaphor of melting ice to explain this concept, suggesting that organizations must 'melt' their current structure to make way for new practices and behaviors. This stage involves increasing driving forces, decreasing resisting forces, or a combination of both.

💡Change

The change phase is the active process of implementing new behaviors, practices, or structures within an organization. It is the second phase of Lewin's model and is depicted in the video as a swift and decisive action, akin to diving into a pool of water. The video stresses the importance of clear communication and involvement of all members during this phase to ensure a successful transition.

💡Refreeze

Refreeze is the final phase of Lewin's Change Theory, where the new behaviors or practices are solidified and become the new norm. The video likens this to refreezing water into a new shape, emphasizing the need for practices that reinforce the change and make it permanent. This could involve updating handbooks, contracts, or training materials.

💡Equilibrium

Equilibrium in the context of the video refers to a state where driving and resisting forces are balanced, resulting in no change. It is a concept used to explain why change does not occur naturally and why an external push is often needed to disrupt this balance. The video suggests that to initiate change, organizations must address the forces that maintain equilibrium.

💡Core Values and Beliefs

Core values and beliefs are the fundamental principles that guide an organization's actions and decisions. The video discusses the importance of understanding these in relation to driving and resisting forces, as they often underpin current practices and behaviors. Unfreezing may involve challenging or unlearning these core values to facilitate change.

💡Communication

Communication is highlighted in the video as a critical component of the change process. It is necessary for conveying the reasons for change, the process itself, and the expected outcomes. Effective communication ensures that all members of an organization are aligned and understand their roles in the change process.

💡Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a technique used to encourage and sustain behavior change. The video suggests using this within the refreeze stage to solidify new behaviors. Examples given include rewarding team members for attending team-building events, which helps to make such activities a lasting part of the organizational culture.

💡Personal Change

While the video primarily discusses organizational change, it also touches on the application of Lewin's Change Theory to personal change. It prompts viewers to consider how the theory can be applied to their own habits and behaviors, encouraging them to identify and adjust personal driving and resisting forces to embrace change.

Highlights

Kurt Lewin is considered the father of social psychology and developed a specific model of change called the unfreeze-change-freeze model.

Lewin's change theory is built on the concept of driving and resisting forces, which determine the direction of behavior change.

Driving forces push individuals towards change, while resisting forces prevent them from making changes.

Behavior change occurs when driving forces outweigh resisting forces, creating a state of disequilibrium.

The unfreeze-change-refreeze model is a three-step process for implementing lasting change in organizations.

The unfreeze step involves melting the existing structure to prepare for change.

The change step requires swift action and communication to adjust the organization's behavior and mindset.

The refreeze step solidifies the change by establishing new practices and reinforcing them within the organization.

Upper management plays a crucial role in directing organizational thoughts and values to support change.

Understanding the organization's core values and beliefs is essential for identifying what needs to be changed.

Unlearning old practices and beliefs is a deep process that may challenge the organization's foundational values.

Clear communication and a solid plan are necessary to manage pushback and increase driving forces towards change.

Involving every member in the change process ensures everyone understands the 'why' and 'how' behind the change.

Positive reinforcement, such as incentives and recognition, can help make change stick in the organization.

Lewin's change theory can be applied to personal changes by examining and adjusting one's own beliefs and habits.

Consistency in planning, communication, and reinforcement is key to making lasting changes in an organization.

The unfreeze-change-refreeze model requires time and cannot be completed overnight or in a few days.

The model can be used to plan for personal or organizational changes by considering driving and resisting forces.

Transcripts

welcome to practical psychology in this

video you'll learn about lewin's change

theory which looks at the way that we

behave and change in organizations let's

get started it seems like every school

in psychology has some sort of father

freud is considered the father of

psychoanalysis john b watson is

considered the father of behaviorism and

if you've watched any of our previous

videos on kurt lewin you may know that

he is considered the father of social

psychology what specifically is lewin's

change theory kurt lewin shares a

specific model of change called the

unfreeze change freeze model lewin's

change theory is one of the social

psychologists most important

contributions to the field two building

blocks of lewin's change theory are

driving and resisting forces lewin

believed that all behavior was a dynamic

balance of forces that moved in one of

two directions driving forces drove

people towards change and resisting

forces prevented them from making the

change if driving forces were stronger

than resisting forces change could occur

if both driving and resisting forces

were equal behavior stood at an

equilibrium change does not occur here

either in order to change behavior you

had to address driving and restraining

forces lewin proposed a model for

implementing a long lasting change

called unfreeze change refreeze model in

order to understand this model you'll

need to think of a block of ice let's

say that you have a big cube of ice you

want to change the ice into a big cone

of ice how do you do so without changing

the amount of ice that you have one way

to do so is to unfreeze change and

refreeze the ice once the ice is melted

into water you can transfer it to a mold

that looks like a cone and refreeze it

to its new shape when this model is

applied to an organization such as a

business charity or educational

institution you probably won't have to

worry about freezing or melting but

similarly you have to melt the entire

structure to its core before

implementing changes and setting the

organization up for a new structure this

is why the model is still in use today

by analyzing the thoughts feelings and

values that are behind current practices

you can implement change in a positive

way upper management may have to direct

the organization's thoughts by sharing

their own thoughts feelings and values

that enforce the change but once this is

done everyone will be on board and each

person will be more likely to gravitate

toward change let's go through each of

the three steps in lewin's change model

the first step is to unfreeze lewin

believed that you could approach the

unfreezing process through one of three

ways the first is to ramp up driving

forces that direct behavior toward the

intended change the second is to slow

down the resisting forces that are

encouraging people to cling to the

status quo and the third is to use a

combination of both to move the

equilibrium toward change before you

choose a path to take you will need to

evaluate the situation at hand

understanding driving and restraining

forces requires an understanding of an

organization's core values and beliefs

in some cases the organization must go

through a process of unlearning this

unlearning goes deep after all the

decisions that have been made up to this

point rest on the core beliefs and

values of the organization what values

are supporting the old method how do

they contribute to harmful or outdated

practices in the state that you you're

in today people at the highest levels of

an organization must understand what

needs to be unfrozen before the true

unfreezing can happen once a set plan is

in place communication must happen

everyone throughout the organization

must be on the same page about why a

change needs to be made and what beliefs

values or processes must be replaced

there will likely be a pushback to

change which is why upper management

must have a solid plan and motivation

for change a thorough understanding of

both the driving and restraining forces

within the organization will also help

management prepare for any pushback and

to plan for ways to increase driving

forces toward change secondly then the

change process adjusts an organization's

behavior thoughts and feelings once a

clear plan is in place it must be

communicated and the change must start

rolling out this change must be swift

think about jumping in a pool of cold

water and you have to dive in so the

adjustment will be painless walking into

the pool slowly will be a painful and

much longer process everyone must make

that dive in order for the whole

organization to change and adjust this

means that upper management should not

only communicate the benefits of change

to the organization but they should also

involve each and every member in the

change process everyone should be able

to communicate the why and how behind

the change last but not least is the

refreeze stage this stage is crucial for

determining how long the change lasts

throughout the organization if you are

looking for a permanent change you will

have to put practices in place that

cement the changes into the minds and

behaviors of the organization this could

involve changing handbooks contracts or

training materials so future members of

the organization move forward with the

changes maybe you focus on the members

you have it might be time to pull from

our behaviorist friends positive

reinforcement of change can help it

stick for example let's say you want to

encourage your team to show up to team

building events there are many ways to

go about this change providing

incentives mandating team building

events or setting up campaigns that

encourage team bonding will help but we

can look at this example too through the

lens of lewin's change theory in the

unfreeze phase you may ramp up driving

forces by evaluating both your core

values and when your team building

events are taking place if your team

tends to consist of parents who value

spending time with family they're not

going to want to skip dinner time for

team building considering everyone's

schedule or sending out a survey asking

for the best time to have events might

be a great first step to making this

change then we get to the change phase

you have to communicate with your team

that this survey was sent out so that

team building events could be easier to

attend speak to your core values how

will team cohesion and bonding help you

reach your goals and speak to who you

are as a company how will these events

benefit all the people who you want to

attend last is the refreeze phase when

your team members show up to the event

reward them share photos of how much fun

you are having and make a point to

schedule the next few events immediately

so members are excited and make time in

their schedule team building will become

a more permanent part of your

organization this model cannot be

completed overnight it probably cannot

be completed in three nights either in

order to make a sweeping change

throughout an organization you need

planning communication and consistency

taking shortcuts or neglecting any of

these elements will prevent people from

understanding why the change must be

made how to do it and that the change is

permanent you can also use this model to

make personal changes what beliefs and

values are driving your current habits

how can you adjust them and look at

change in a positive light how can you

make these changes consistent maybe try

thinking about lewin's change theory as

you plan for your next big change that's

all for today thanks for listening we

hope you learned something and we hope

to see you in our next video