Satir's Change Model

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Satir's Change Model

🔥 The Change Management Model of Virginia Satir, a distinguished family therapist, can serve as an easy framework for understanding and navigating organizational change. It is emphasizing the human element within change processes, and it elucidates the dynamics of transformation and its impacts on performance.

Stages in the Change Model of Satir

Comprising five distinct stages, the model delineates the evolving reactions of individuals and groups throughout the change journey:

1. LATE STATUS QUO: This is the business-as-usual stage before the change occurs, where individuals and groups are comfortable with the current situation. They may be aware of some problems or issues but prefer to stay in their comfort zone.
   Role of Leader: Encourage people to seek improvement information and ideas from outside the group.
2. RESISTANCE: This is the stage where something new or unexpected happens, disrupting the status quo and triggering the change process. People become aware of the upcoming change and start to feel anxious, angry, fearful, and even try to sabotage the change.
   Role of Leader: Help people to open up, recognize the necessity of change, and overcome the reaction to deny, avoid, or blame.
3. CHAOS: This is the stage where the change is implemented whereas the old ways of working are disrupted. It is the most turbulent and stressful stage where things are in disarray and confusion. People may feel disoriented, uncertain, or overwhelmed. They may lose confidence, motivation, or direction.
   Role of Leader: Help build a safe environment with support systems where people can focus on their feelings, acknowledge their fear, and use the support.
4. INTEGRATION: This is the stage where people start to see the benefits and opportunities of change, so they begin to accept and adapt to the change, and develop new skills, attitudes, and beliefs that support the change.
   Role of Leader: Offer reassurance and help people to find new methods for coping with difficulties in the process.
5. NEW STATUS QUO: This is the stage where the change has been fully implemented and has become the new norm, bringing a sense of stability. People have adapted to the change and improved their performance and outcomes, so they may feel confident, competent, and comfortable with the new situation.
   Role of Leader: Focus on helping people feel safe so they can practice and further improve.

Examples of applying Satir's change model

1. ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING:
   • Late Status Quo: Employees are accustomed to the existing organizational structure and processes.
   • Resistance: When news of a restructuring plan is announced, employees may resist due to fear of layoffs or changes in their roles.
   • Chaos: During the transition period, there might be confusion about reporting lines, job responsibilities, and team dynamics.
   • Integration: As employees adjust to the new structure, they start to understand their roles and responsibilities within the new framework.
   • New Status Quo: The new organizational structure becomes the accepted way of operating, and employees adapt to their new roles and workflows.
2. IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM:
   • Late Status Quo: Employees are comfortable with the existing software system and processes.
   • Resistance: Employees express reluctance to adopt a new software system due to concerns about its usability or impact on their workflow.
   • Chaos: During the initial rollout, there may be technical glitches, training challenges, and frustration among users.
   • Integration: With continued training and support, employees begin to understand the benefits of the new software and find ways to incorporate it into their daily tasks.
   • New Status Quo: The new software system becomes ingrained in the organization's operations, and employees efficiently utilize it as part of their routine.
3. CULTURAL CHANGE INITIATIVES:
   • Late Status Quo: The organization has a traditional culture with established norms and practices.
   • Resistance: Employees resist cultural change initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion due to skepticism or discomfort with unfamiliar practices.
   • Chaos: As the organization implements diversity training programs and cultural awareness initiatives, there may be misunderstandings, resistance, or conflict among employees.
   • Integration: Over time, employees start to embrace the new cultural norms and behaviors, leading to increased collaboration and mutual respect.
   • New Status Quo: The organization's culture evolves to become more inclusive and diverse, with employees embodying the values and behaviors promoted by the change initiatives.

In short, the Satir Change Management Model can help organizations to address the emotional and behavioral impacts of change and facilitate smoother transitions. By acknowledging and understanding the 5 stages of the model, organizations are empowered to proactively anticipate challenges and offer effective support throughout the change process, which can significantly enhance their likelihood of success.

Sources:
Abbas, T. (2023, April 29). Satir Change Management Model. CMI. https://changemanagementinsight.com/satir-change-management-model/
Comprehensive explanation of the Satir Change Model. (n.d.). Crowjack. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://crowjack.com/blog/strategy/change-management-models/satir-model
The Satir Change Model. (1997, October 4). https://stevenmsmith.com/ar-satir-change-model/.

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		9 Jaap de Jonge Editor, Netherlands
	Satir versus Lewin versus Kotter Change Stages Both Satir's 5 stage model and the 3 stage model of Lewin are early attempts to understand the human dynamics during an organizational change process by distinguishing phases. - The first stage of Lewin (Unfreeze) is quite similar to the first stage of Satir (Late Status Quo). - The last stage of Lewin (Freeze) is similar to the last (fifth) stage of Satir (New Status Quo). - While Lewin distinguishes only one intermediate stage (Moving), that stage is split up in 3 by Satir (Resistance, Chaos and Integration). The later change phases model by Kotter is more detailed, because it distinguishes between 8 phases in organizational change. If you need to explain the human dynamics involved in a major organizational change process to newbies, I recommend to start simple with Lewin, next you can delve a bit deeper using Satir and move on to Kotter or even more advanced or specialized change models and methods.

		1 Maurice Hogarth Consultant, United Kingdom
	Thoughts on Satir's Model As in many models of change the base assumption is that it will be resisted. So there is the likelihood of the self-fulfilling prophesy. My "adopt, adapt, improve" approach applied to this model is...