Article

3 Proven Change Management Models Every Leader Should Know

July 31, 2025

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Emily May

Leading through change is one of the toughest challenges leaders face—and one of the most important. But in today’s fast-paced, ever-shifting environment, change is no longer a finite event to manage. It’s not a one-and-done process with a clear beginning and end. Rather than simply managing change, leaders must cultivate change readiness: the ability to adapt, respond, and provide clarity in the face of ongoing transformation.

This article explores three widely used change management models—not as rigid frameworks for controlling change, but as tools to help leaders create the conditions for adaptability, alignment, and resilience. When applied with flexibility and awareness, these models can support teams in navigating uncertainty with confidence and purpose.

What Is a Change Management Model?

A change management model is a framework that leaders and their teams follow to plan, implement, and maintain change. It helps organizations move from their current state to their desired future state.

There are many different types of organizational change, but all change brings uncertainty. A change management model serves as a guide to help teams navigate unpredictability with less resistance and more clarity.

A key benefit of change management models is the emphasis on the human side of change. How might your team respond to new dynamics, and what can you do to ensure they feel supported throughout the process? 

Frameworks provide a series of steps that help ensure successful change. There’s no “right” or “best” change management model. Instead, choose one that aligns with the unique circumstances and culture of your organization. 

3 Change Management Models Every Leader Should Know

There are many change management models out there. In this section, we explore three popular models known for their effectiveness, flexibility, simplicity, and impact. 

1. Lewin's Change Management Model

An illustrated woman interacts with a timeline marked by completed checkpoints, illustrating the three stages of Lewin's change management model.

Psychologist and thought leader Kurt Lewin developed a simple framework to manage organizational change. He breaks down the change process into three steps:

  • Unfreeze
  • Change
  • Refreeze

The first phase, unfreeze, helps teams prepare for change. It refers to the process of challenging current circumstances and explaining why change is necessary for efficiency. By raising awareness of the reasons behind the shift, buy-in is more likely to occur. 

The second phase, change, involves implementing the change. This stage of the process occurs when team members learn new skills and begin adopting new behaviors. Ongoing support through open communication and training is crucial.

The third and final phase of Lewin’s Change Management Model is called refreeze. At this stage, the team fully adopts the new ways of working. Leaders reinforce the change through updated policies, workflows, and team culture. 

Many organizations appreciate Lewin’s framework because it's flexible and easy to follow. 

2. Kotter's Change Management Model

Two illustrated characters energetically hold up a sign that says "change", depicting the momentum and communication needed for successful change.

Dr. John Kotter, a professor and founder of Kotter International Inc., developed his own step-by-step process for managing change. The eight steps in his change management framework are:

  1. Create a Sense of Urgency: Build excitement within the organization about the upcoming change.
  2. Build a Guiding Coalition: Assemble a group of individuals who are committed to driving the change.
  3. Form a Strategic Vision: Create an understanding around what will change, and the ‘how’ behind it. 
  4. Enlist a Volunteer Army: Get buy-in and contribution from as many people in the organization as possible. 
  5. Enable Action by Removing Barriers: Identify and remove any obstacles that delay the change.
  6. Generate Short-Term Wins: Consistently recognize ongoing progress toward change.
  7. Sustain Acceleration: Speed up the rate of change after collecting successes.
  8. Institute Change: Ensure new behaviors and processes surrounding the change are consistently reinforced. 

Kotter’s change management model emphasizes the need for collective buy-in, contribution, and recognition across the change process. It also calls for strategic leadership and vision to ignite energy around the purpose of the change. 

While there are several steps to follow in Kotter’s Change Management Model, the extra detail can be helpful to organizations that prefer more context on what to do next. 

3. Hiatt’s ADKAR Model

Two illustrated professionals review a checklist, representing structured steps in a change management process.

A third widely used change management model is the ADKAR Model. This framework was developed by Jeff Hiatt, an engineer and founder of Prosci. The acronym ‘ADKAR’ stands for:

  • A - Awareness: Create understanding around why the change is critical
  • D - Desire: Build passion behind the change
  • K - Knowledge: Communicate how the change will happen
  • A - Ability: Support team members in putting new knowledge and tools into action
  • R - Reinforcement: Ensure the change sticks through continuous maintenance

Hiatt’s ADKAR Model focuses on supporting individuals through the current, transitional, and future states of change. The framework makes it easy to identify where each team member is on the change journey, to help maintain alignment and offer additional support where needed.

Many leaders find that the five-step process provides a good balance of guidance. It offers plenty of room for tailoring to the unique needs of an organization, while still providing a clear direction for managing change. 

Continued Reading

Conclusion

Lewin, Kotter, and Hiatt all recognized a need: to support people through change. These celebrated and widely recognized change management models are utilized globally to ensure that humans are at the center of small and large organizational shifts. Even though both the pace of change and the level of complexity organizations deal with continue to increase exponentially, these tried and true models still offer concepts and tools that are valuable for leaders to draw upon. 

Again, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to navigating change or a best framework. If you’ve experimented with the change management models mentioned in this article, you know that each approach can be helpful. It's up to the change leaders and their teams to decide which framework will be the right fit.

How prepared do you feel to lead your team through current and future changes? After all, those leading the charge also need support. Our Change Management micro-credential is for leaders, managers, and HR professionals who are seeking guidance in the following areas:

  • Understanding and applying change management models
  • Navigating the natural human responses to change
  • Approaching change in a human-centric way

Visit the Change Management course page for more information.

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TAGGED AS:
Leading Change, Organizational Enablement, Business Agility Foundations, Adaptive Strategy, Adaptive Org Design, Coaching Agile Transformations, Agility in Leadership, Leading with Agility, Expert in Agility In Leadership

About the author

Emily May | ICAgile, Marketing Specialist
Emily May is a Marketing Specialist at ICAgile, where she helps educate learners on their agile journey through content. With an eclectic background in communications supporting small business marketing efforts, she hopes to inspire readers to initiate more empathy, productivity, and creativity in the workplace for improved internal and external outcomes.

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