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This is the first in a series of articles about some of the most effective models, methods, and processes of the OD trade. OD stands for organization development, a discipline that offers much to the MS/OR practitioner determined to help clients solve real-world problems. Because it is based on a systemic view of organizations, OD includes the whole universe of fuzzy people issues that increasingly determine the success or failure of efforts to implement otherwise flawless technical solutions.
Successful change enablers rely on a handful of tools that work. The most powerful tool in my toolbox is Kurt Lewin's simple three-step change model. According to Lewin [1958], the first step in the process of changing behavior is to unfreeze the existing situation. Only then can change, or movement, occur. Finally, to make the new behaviors stick, a third, refreezing step is necessary.
Don't let the apparent simplicity of Lewin's model fool you. It is a truly elegant and infinitely practical guide to the host of complex and sometimes baffling issues inherent in the change process. To understand the model and what makes it so powerful, examine its application in real-world situations. Using Lewin's model as a diagnostic tool, I will first analyze what goes awry in unsuccessful efforts to introduce new technology into organizations. Then, using the model as a guide to action, I will deduce the role of the leader in enabling major change to occur.
Introducing New Technology (How Not to Make Changes)
Have you ever wondered why so many attempts to get people to use promising new technology, such as computers, reengineered processes, or new decision-making models, encounter massive resistance to change? If you have been the victim of such behavior on the part of naive users, have you wondered what went wrong and why?
The first step in Lewin's change model provides a vital clue to unraveling this mystery. Ask what significant unfreezing event(s) occurred to make the people most affected by...