Introduction
Kurt Lewin’s Five-Stage Model is an approach to organization development that entails recognizing and studying issues within an organization, devising and implementing tailored solutions, and evaluating the results of those solutions. It was first introduced by psychoanalyst and social scientist, Kurt Lewin, in the 1940s and it remains one of the most commonly used organization development models today. Lewin’s Five-Stage Model is a cyclical process, meaning that the steps in the model typically occur in sequential order, but feedback from each step may require that certain steps be repeated, or certain steps fall out of sequence. The steps or stages of Lewin’s Five-Stage Model are un-freezing, changing, re-freezing, and monitoring.
Unfreezing
The first stage in Lewin’s Five-Stage Model is un-freezing. This involves recognizing and assessing the problem at hand and recognizing sources of resistance to change within the organization. The key focus in this stage is first understanding the nature of the problem, and recognizing the forces within the organization and its environment that may be causing or exacerbating the issue. To do this, the organization should collect and analyze data from the internal or external environment, or both. This may include surveys, observations, interviews, and any other measure that can provide insight into the nature of the problem. Additionally, the organization should assess sources of resistance to change. This may include interests of stakeholders, leadership, or culture and structure of the organization.
Changing
The second stage in Lewin’s Five-Stage Model is changing, also referred to as “moving.” In this stage, the organization begins to devise and implement changes to address the problems identified in the first stage. The exact solutions vary based on the nature of the problem, and typically involve a combination of strategies, such as communication and education, training, policy and procedure development, process improvement, and the use of incentives. Additionally, the organization should engage in team building and facilitate group activities that enable leadership and staff to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and develop solutions.
Re-Freezing
The third stage of Lewin’s Five-Stage Model is re-freezing. In this stage, the organization begins to re-establish or reinforce the structures and processes that are necessary to sustain the changes made in the previous stage. This may include the development or revision of policies, goals, strategies, and procedures. It also involves the evaluation and monitoring of progress by the organization to ensure that the solutions are effective and properly implemented.
Monitoring
The final stage of Lewin’s Five-Stage Model is monitoring. In this stage, the organization assesses how well the solutions that were implemented in the previous stages are working. This may involve collecting data, surveying stakeholders, and requesting feedback. Additionally, the organization should consider any unanticipated consequences of the solutions that may require additional adjustments or revisions.
Conclusion
Overall, the five-stage model described by Kurt Lewin is one of the most widely used approaches to corporate and organizational development. It provides a cyclical approach to understanding and addressing problems by recognizing and studying the issues, devising solutions, implementing changes, and monitoring progress. While the five steps can occur in sequential order, the cycle is also open to feedback from each stage, so adjustments and revisions can be made as necessary. Therefore, it is a flexible and effective model for organization development.
