Evolution and Revolution of Change Management

As I was in the last training session with my current project management professional training batch, I was discussing how change sticks within an organization. As I differentiate governance processes for managing changes within the context of a project or program related to introducing large scale change management, questions emerged on what is change management. Some members who had attended a 2-day Scrum Master class mentioned about ADKAR and another management learner discussed about Kotter's change management. 

And both these change management frameworks are good and relevant. While both ADKAR and Kotter's change management frameworks are powerful and relevant in today's organizational environment, the knowledge of the change management evolution can help understand how change is perceived, planned for, and implemented. One can then appreciate the richness of history in connections with both the influence and impact of change management framework. 

Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan's Synthesis of Change Management Framework Timeline

Year	Model Name	Brief Explanation
~1947	Kurt Lewin 3-Stage	Kurt Lewin (1947) used the sociology and social science  concepts to introduce a 3-stage process. These 3-stages are "unfreeze, change, and refreeze." Before change can take place, a period must be allowed where no changes are allowed, and change is internalized.  Then change takes place as employees show involvement. This leads to knowledge sharing, leadership involvement to support the experiments, and then plans are put in place to implement the change.  As change slowly sticks, more change may be required where time must be allowed for the new changes to be internalized before the cycle repeats. Lewin used the analogy of a block of ice to be unfrozen to become water and then the water put in desired containers to be frozen again into ice.
~1969	Kuber-Ross Change Curve	Elisabeth Kuber-Ross (1969) ap6roached change from how people on the dying bed teach about change.  This change theory comes from the medical field particularly in hospice and hospital care.  Ross introduced the Change curve to demonstrate how people process change through their emotional lens of nearing end of life or seeing their loved ones or patients approach end of life.  People process the emotions of shock, denial, and disbelief of death. This frustration may turn into fear or anger. Then, they accept the immutable reality and slowly commit to adapting to the required change. During the first two stages of shock or frustration, no amount of motivation or feedback will be processed (because they are not actively listening - emotions have taken over). Slow and steady support and constructive feedback will help in the next stages rather than rushing through change.  While the stages of the Change Curve are very distinct from this field, these concepts really are analogous to how changes to have been unfrozen (not introduced too quickly) in the first two stages and slowly introduced in the change (accept) and freeze (commit) stages.
~1980	McKinsey 7S Model	Starting around mid-1970's, Waterman, Peters, and Phillips (1980) from McKinsey (a consulting organization) introduced the first organizational change management framework.  The seven stages were (no order) are strategy, structure, systems, skills, style, staff and shared values.  Strategy related to firm's alignment of their resources and capabilities to create competitive advantage. Structure focused on the way the firm is organized to deliver value using hierarchical relationships and roles and responsibilities. Systems tied the business and technical infrastructure to realize the goals and objectives. Shared values emphasized the display of behaviors supporting the firm's mission and vision. Style highlighted how the company's leaders demonstrated an inclusive culture for leadership to thrive. Staff comprised of the capabilities, skills, and competencies as well as the firm's ability to manage capacity, transition, and sustenance. Skills showed the firm's ability to deliver work and evaluate performance improvements.
~1991	Bridges Transition Model	Bridges (1991) Transition model differentiates change from transition. It states that changes [anyway] happen to people. Transition, [however], is internal - it's what happens in people's mind when facing and experiencing change.  This model draws parallel with the Kuber Ross' Change Curve Model in terms of emotions felt as change is processed. The three stages in this model include Ending, Neutral Zone, and New Beginning.  In the ending phase, people feel frustrated, show anger, demonstrate low morale and productivity, and are worried about the future. They find it hard to lose and let go. But this ending phase must end before they can arrive at the neutral zone. They are not ready for change yet as they feel adrift and lost. More listening ears are required like the other models in this stage. As they begin to leave the neutral zone, they feel they are facing a new beginning. The promise of the future brings new energy and a willingness to learn. With support and feedback, the change begins to stick with their renewed commitment.
~1996	Kotter 8-Step Model	Kotter (1996) underpinned action-oriented steps for change to stick within an organization. It improves on 7S framework in that the steps are actionable.  The steps are cyclical and iterate progressively on small increments of change. (Perhaps why more Agile practitioners like this approach) The 8 steps in the same sequence include the following. They are self-explanatory.  Creating a Sense of Urgency Forming a Guiding Coalition Developing Vision and Strategies Communicating the Change Remove Barriers to Action Accomplish Short-Term Wins Build on the Change Make Change Stick
~2006	Hiatt's ADKAR Model	More frequently called Prosci's Model due to its adoption in Prosci, this model is relatively recent. The model is build in five stages. These include in the same sequence. Awareness - Creates conscious need for change (Similar to creating sense of urgency) Desire - Shows intent to participate and support change (Similar to forming a guiding coalition) Knowledge - Demonstrates the skills and competencies on planning for change (Connects with developing vision & strategies and communicating the change) Ability - Highlights the desired skills and behaviors to implement change (Connects with removing barriers, accomplishing short-term wins, and building on change) Reinforcement - Shows steps needed to sustain change (Connects with building on change and making changes stick).

Have I missed out on any model or misinterpreted any connections to models? Share your thoughts.

References

Bridges, W. & Bridges, S. (1991). Managing Transitions. Boston, MA: Da Capo Lifelong Books.

Hiatt, J.M. (2006). ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community. Loveland, CO: Prosci, Inc.

Kotter, J.P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press

Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On Death and Dying: What the dying have to teach doctors, nurses, clergy & their own families. New York: Scribner, An imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Lewin, K. (1947). Field theory in social science. New York, NY: Harper & Row

ADKAR Model (n.d.)  Prosci. https://www.prosci.com/methodology/adkar

Waterman, R., Peters, T. and Phillips, J. (1980). Structure is not organization. Business Horizons, 23 (3), 14–26