UNFREEZING

 

Kurt Lewin’s Three-Step Model, outlined in his 1947 publication Frontiers in Group Dynamics, suggests that human behavior is based on a “complex field of driving and restraining forces” that create what he refers to as a quasi-stationary equilibrium. For change to occur, these forces have to be interrupted, or unfrozen, before old behavior can be unlearned and new behaviors adopted. In Facilitative Process Interventions: Task Processes in Groups, Edgar Schein suggests three processes necessary for unfreezing to occur: (a) disconfirmation of the validity of the status quo, (b) the induction of guilt, and (c) the creation of psychological safety.

 

In the Hospice case, the unfreezing process required clear communication to the RNs, explaining the financial losses the organization was experiencing, the analyses process and results, and the plan for increasing RN caseload capacity (disconfirmation of the validity of the status quo). I opted to use a facilitative consultant approach to communicate the situation to the RNs and guide them through the process of recognizing why the changes were absolutely necessary (the induction of guilt) and to create a sense of urgency for generating financial sustainability for the organization. Psychological safety was provided by inviting the RNs to openly discuss the analysis process, concerns about their ability to increase caseload capacity, and observed and perceived obstacles to achieving the required performance level.