Too often leaders are unsure of just how to unfreeze an organization and create change ready followers. Many leaders start by casting a grand vision of what the new organization looks like. However, followers, still frozen in their ways, do not receive this new vision because they have yet to see why change is necessary. John Kotter’s (1996) book leading change presents an eight-step model for facilitating change that closely follows Lewin’s (1951) three phases model. If we overlay these two models, we see the first three stages of Kotter’s model providing insight on how to unfreeze an organization. These steps are as follows:

1. Create urgency. Leaders to help the organization see that it can not continue down the same old road.
2. Form a powerful coalition. In order to lead change, leaders at the top must form a team of change champions who hold status from a variety of sources.
3. Create a vision for change. Once the organization has a sense of urgency, the coalition can begin to propose a solution to the organization that will inspire them to work toward change.

Notice that step three is create a vision, step four is to communicate that vision. How often do we hear of a new CEO who enters intensely sharing a vision and who is fired just as intensely. If we want successful change, we must make followers change ready by creating this sense of urgency, getting a powerful team of champions together and writing that vision as a team.

Kotter, J. P. (1996) Leading change. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Lewin, K. (1951). Field Theory in Social Science. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

• July 28, 2010 -- Leaders Unbalance the Force (0)
• February 9, 2010 -- Book Review: Our Iceberg is Melting (1)
• June 16, 2010 -- EBM: Change (0)
• March 15, 2010 -- An Analogy of Leader/Follower Alignment (0)
• March 2, 2010 -- Book Review: Switch (2)

When leading change in organizations, the primary role for leadership is to unbalance the force. Leaders need to influence followers to see the reasons to change, strengthen the helping forces in the process. If leaders fail to unbalance the force, the change effort simply will not occur.

Lewin, K. (1951). Field Theory in Social Science. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

• August 18, 2010 -- How to UnFreeze (0)
• September 5, 2010 -- Is A Narcissistic CEO Good For Your Organization? (0)
• September 2, 2010 -- Drucker’s Err – The Purpose of Business (9)
• August 29, 2010 -- Five Evidence-Based Outcomes Of Both The Bright-Side And The Dark-Side Of A Leader’s Personality (8)
• August 22, 2010 -- Seven Things to Expect From Your Narcissistic Employee (47)

The Heath brothers compile into a three-principle model for change. The present this model using an easy to understand elephant and rider analogy, arguing that it’s impossible to make an elephant move in the right direction unless it wants to, its rider wants to and the path is easy to follow.

The model is as follows (adapted from page 259 of their book):

• Direct the Rider
• Follow the Bright Spots. Investigate what’s working and clone it.
• Script the Critical Moves. Don’t think big picture, think in terms of specific behaviors.
• Point to the Destination. Change is easier when you know where you’re going and why it’s worth it.
• Motivate the Elephant
• Find the Feeling. Knowing something isn’t enough to cause change. Make people feel something.
• Shrink the Change. Break down the change until it no longer spooks the Elephant.
• Grow Your People. Cultivate a sense of identity and instill the growth mindset.
• Shape the Path
• Tweak the Environment. When the situation changes, the behavior changes. So change the situation.
• Build Habits. When behavior is habitual, it’s “free”—it doesn’t tax the Rider. Look for ways to encourage habits.
• Rally the Herd. Behavior is contagious. Help it spread.

At first thought, it may seem odd reviewing a popular business book on LeaderLab. Switch doesn’t appear to be a theory-based book. However, Switch is saturated with research findings and case studies. Chip and Dan Heath, both full-time professors make a compelling case that this model will be seen as equitable to Lewin, Kotter or anyone within academia.

• February 9, 2010 -- Book Review: Our Iceberg is Melting (1)
• August 24, 2010 -- Book Review: Good Boss Bad Boss (0)
• August 18, 2010 -- How to UnFreeze (0)
• August 10, 2010 -- Book Review: Clever (2)
• August 3, 2010 -- Book Review: Predictable Success (0)

Then came Our Iceberg is Melting.

Kotter uses a business fable to present a simplified explanation of the eight-stage model. The story follows a penguin colony that realizes their iceberg is shrinking and that they will need to transition to a new home. The plot takes the colony through all eight stages:

1. Create a Sense of Urgency.
2. Pull Together the Guiding Team.
3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy.
4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy-in.
5. Empower Others to Act.
6. Produce Short-Term Wins.
7. Don’t Let Up.
8. Create a New Culture.

This playful fable clearly defines the eight stages while keeping the reader entertained. Our Iceberg is Melting is a fast read, which is surprising considering that it presents well-researched conclusions about leading change.

• August 18, 2010 -- How to UnFreeze (0)
• March 2, 2010 -- Book Review: Switch (2)
• August 24, 2010 -- Book Review: Good Boss Bad Boss (0)
• August 10, 2010 -- Book Review: Clever (2)
• August 3, 2010 -- Book Review: Predictable Success (0)