Introduction
Change is the only constant in today’s global business environment. Yet despite endless meetings, emails, and training sessions, many organizations still struggle to make change stick (Al-Haddad and Kotnour 2015). Leaders pour effort into motivating individuals, only to watch employees slip back into old habits.
The problem is not t a lack of effort, it is a flaw in perspective. Too many change strategies focus on individuals, treating transformation as a personal mindset issue rather than a collective movement. It is the lone wolf approach to change: trying to inspire one person at a time while ignoring the social currents that shape behavior.
As social psychologist Kurt Lewin discovered decades ago, the real force behind sustainable change is not found in individual effort — it is in the group dynamic, the pack. Understanding how groups form, interact, and influence one another can transform the way organizations lead change today.
This post revisits Lewin’s insights on group dynamics and explores how leaders can shift from managing people in isolation to mobilizing the collective energy of their teams.
The Heart of the Matter: Target the Group, Not the Individual
At the core of Kurt Lewin’s work is a groundbreaking argument: meaningful change doesn’t happen at the individual level, but at the group level. According to Lewin, group behaviour is shaped by field of forces and symbolic interactions that dictate the group’s structure and, in turn, modify individual behaviour (Burnes 2007).
Why is the group the primary focus? Because an individual, even one who is open to change, is constantly under immense group pressure to conform to existing norms. These group routines and patterns aren’t just passive habits; they are actively valued and enforced by the group to maintain stability (Burnes 2007). This aligns with modern findings, such as Kotter’s, that resistance is more likely to arise from the system and its ingrained norms than from isolated individuals (Al-Haddad and Kotnour 2015). Therefore, any effective change strategy must concentrate on influencing the team’s collective norms, roles, and values .
The Prerequisite: Creating a ‘Felt Need’ for Change
Before any change can begin, a critical prerequisite must be met: there must be a felt need. This is the deep, internal realisation both at the individual and group levels—that the current way of doing things is no longer sufficient and that change is necessary (Burnes 2004, 2007).
If the collective felt-need within a group or organisation is low, introducing change becomes problematic. You cannot impose transformation on a group that does not perceive a problem. Lewin argued that successful change begins with engaging group members, helping them understand the why behind the change, and fostering a shared commitment to move forward.
This “felt need” is not merely emotional; it represents a psychological unfreezing of the group’s current norms and equilibrium. Without this shared readiness, even the best-designed change initiatives are likely to fail.
The Method: Action Research and Collaborative Change
Understanding group behaviour is one thing; changing it is another. Lewin’s framework is not just theoretical it is profoundly practical. He proposed a participative method known as Action Research, a cyclical process for diagnosing and addressing organisational challenges (Burnes 2004, 2007).
Action Research emphasises that effective change is achieved with people, not to people. It involves a series of iterative steps that make the change process collaborative and adaptive:
Analyze the situation: The group collaboratively diagnoses the problem, identifying underlying issues that influence behaviour.
Identify alternatives: Members discuss and explore all possible solutions.
Choose and act: The group selects and implements the most appropriate solution.
Reflect and repeat: Results are evaluated, and the process is refined based on collective learning.
This method reflects Lewin’s belief that behaviour can only be understood and modified within a group context. It embodies the principle of self-management, where groups play an active role in shaping their own behaviour (Burnes 2004). Change, therefore, becomes a participative and collaborative process one that transforms resistance into ownership.
The Framework: Lewin’s 3-Step Model for Group Transformation
With the group engaged and a collaborative process in motion, Lewin proposed that organisational change unfolds through his well-known 3-Step Model (Burnes 2004):
Unfreeze: This stage creates the felt need for change by disrupting existing norms, routines, and assumptions. It prepares the group to let go of old patterns and accept that change is necessary.
Change (Move): Guided by the principles of Action Research, the group develops and adopts new behaviours, attitudes, and values. This is the implementation phase, where learning and experimentation take place.
Refreeze: The final stage solidifies the new equilibrium. New group norms are embedded in organisational culture and supported by systems and shared values, ensuring the change endures.
Lewin believed that because individuals are inherently influenced by group norms and social forces, sustainable transformation must occur at the group level, not solely at the level of individual behaviour (Al-Haddad and Kotnour 2015). As he noted, group routines and patterns have intrinsic value they are not merely the product of opposing forces but also serve a positive function in maintaining group identity and cohesion (Burnes 2004, 2007).
A Modern Reflection: Is ‘Refreezing’ Still Relevant?
While Lewin’s model remains foundational, modern change scholars question whether the concept of “refreezing” fits today’s rapidly changing business environment. In an age of constant disruption and agile methodologies, achieving a stable equilibrium may seem unrealistic.
Contemporary perspectives suggest that organisations should cultivate a culture of continuous learning and adaptability a state of being “permanently unfrozen.” Nevertheless, Lewin’s insight into the power of group dynamics remains timeless. Whether or not we “refreeze,” successful change still depends on engaging the collective forces that shape how people think, feel, and act together.
Final Takeaway
The enduring genius of Kurt Lewin’s work is its simple, powerful truth: organizations don’t change, people do—but people change most effectively in groups. Your next change initiative will succeed or fail based on your ability to look past individual behaviours and see the powerful, invisible currents of group norms, pressures, and values. To change the individual, you must first have the courage to engage, understand, and transform the group.