How To Use Lewin’s Change Management Model And The Change Curve Model As A Leader

Have you ever tried to implement change but struggled to see it through? You aren’t alone; the change management process is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a leader. We’ve found that the trick is not just understanding the practical and emotional aspects of change but, crucially, how to make new habits permanent.

How do you do that, we hear you ask? By reading on.

From Lewin’s Change Management Model to the Curve Change Model, this article will explain the ins and outs of two of the most effective change models. We’ll also teach you how to combine both with a unique tool that could change your life as a leader.

There’s lots to get through, so let’s dive in.

What is Kurt Lewin’s Change Management Model?

For those who aren’t aware, Kurt Lewin is a social psychologist, and a bloody good one at that!

Primarily, he’s known for developing a three-step model for effective change management. It’s often applied to organizational change, but it’s a powerful tool for personal leadership growth.

The model looks a little something like this:

Step One: Unfreeze

You can’t change without knowing what’s not working, so unfreezing is the process of challenging old habits and beliefs. This allows you to recognize what needs to change and why so you can lay the groundwork for step two.

Step Two: Change

Change. The name of the game. Using what you’ve uncovered from the unfreeze in step one, it’s time to implement new strategies and mindsets.

Doing the work is rarely easy, but the best way to get through step two is with sustained, active effort, learning, and adaptation. These will put you on the right path towards change, but not without step three.

Step Three: Refreeze

Refreezing involves reinforcing and sustaining changes until your new behaviors become your new reality. Failing to refreeze could mean slipping back into old ways and ruining all your hard work, so it’s arguably the most important step.

If you’re more of a visual learner like we are here at MDL, take a look at the cycles of Kurt Lewin’s Change Model below.

And with that, you have the Kurt Lewin Change Model in all its glory. Well, some of its glory. We don’t have all day.

We also need to discuss another approach because there’s more to change than understanding structure. It’s also deeply emotional, which is where the Change Curve Model comes in.

What is the Change Curve Model?

Lewin’s Change Management Model provides a structured roadmap for change, but the Change Curve Model explains why the process can be emotionally difficult. Developed from the Kubler-Ross stages of grief, it helps leaders understand the emotional responses that come with change and how to address them.

The “Change Curve” consists of four key stages:

1. Shock and denial: An initial resistance of disbelief towards the change.
2. Frustration and depression: A phase of doubt and, often, low morale.
3. Experimentation and acceptance. Starting to explore and adapt to the change.
4. Integration and commitment: Change is embraced and becomes the new normal.

Combining Lewin’s Change Management Model (the structure) with the Change Curve Model (the emotion) goes a long way to understanding the process of personal change, but theory only goes so far.

Don’t get us wrong, the theory is a big deal, but ensuring change lasts is a totally different ball game.

Your Secret Weapon for Change Management: Leadership Journaling

Since you’re reading this, you probably know how overwhelming it can be to implement meaningful change as a leader. This is where tracking your progress and a leadership journal can change the game.

Before we start, let’s clear up the difference between leadership and personal journaling. Unlike personal journaling, leadership journaling is structured and strategic, helping you set intentions, track progress, and develop clarity. It’s more about reinforcing new habits rather than venting frustrations or letting loose about your love life like Bridget Jones.

At My Daily Leadership, we’ve developed a journaling system for leaders that’s designed to:

• Help you evaluate blind spots.
• Structure daily and weekly self-reflection.
• Reinforce new leadership behaviors.
• Ensure continuous development with a guided format.

With this, you can actively shape your growth and build long-lasting habits instead of letting change fade away like so many leaders do.

But how does all of the above come together?

Turning Change Management Models into Action

Change is rarely a simple, linear process, and it’s full of ups and downs. One day, you’ll be committed to improving, and the next, you’ll find yourself resisting. That’s why tracking where you are in the process is key.

Leadership journaling is a simple but powerful instrument for doing just that. By documenting your thoughts, behaviors, and obstacles, you can reinforce new habits, hold yourself accountable, and identify setbacks before they derail your progress.

These are invaluable tools for navigating change, and it’s why change management models and journaling join together like the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Leadership journaling also helps you:

• Identify triggers: Figure out what situations cause you to go back to your old ways.
• Celebrate progress: Recognize any improvements to build momentum.
• Hold yourself accountable: Set regular check-ins to see how consistent you’re being.
• Make adjustments if needed: Reflect and tweak strategies that aren’t working out.

All in all, by combining the two models and adding a leadership journal to the mix, you can become a stronger, more effective leader, ensuring that change is a lasting transformation rather than a short-lived experiment.

The Real Challenge: Embedding Permanent Change

The biggest mistake leaders make is assuming change will stick without reinforcement. As much as you might like it to, transformation doesn’t happen overnight, it takes reflection, consistency, and adaptation.

Kurt Lewin’s Change Model provides a fantastic framework for understanding the practical aspects of change, and the Change Curve model does an equally great job explaining the emotional side.

The question, however, isn’t whether you can understand change; it’s whether you can put in the work to make new behaviors second nature.

Serious About Making a Change?

In Episode 15 of our podcast: Stop Managing, Start Leading, we explore the different change management models, how to apply them effectively, and why implementing change as a leader can be so challenging. You can also download the models talked about in this podcast episode for free here. We recommend starting here.

However, if you're committed to making a lasting change, download our 31-day guided leadership journal prompts. This complimentary resource helps you develop the powerful habit of daily reflection, self-mentoring, and self-analysis.

Over the course of a month, by staying intentional about your growth, you’ll turn change into a lasting transformation - one that strengthens your leadership and drives continuous progress.