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- Written by Brent A Duncan, PhD
Summary: Discover how group decisions drive lasting change. Reviewing key concepts from Kurt Lewin’s (1948) seminal work on Group Decision and Social Change that serve as the foundation of change leadership and group dynamics training, this article is ideal for understanding social dynamics and behavior shifts. Explore why group choices outperform lectures in influencing actions. Learn about “gatekeepers” who control choices, the power of planning and feedback loops, and how to break habits with the unfreeze-move-refreeze process. This piece reveals why small groups spark bigger changes than solo efforts, showing how social pressures shape individual motivation.
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- Written by Brent A Duncan, PhD
![A podium finish proves change leadership isn’t just strategy—it’s lived experience. [Image by Copilot from a photo by Penny Duncan]](/images/Images/bad_bmx3rd-cartoon300.png "A podium finish proves change leadership isn’t just strategy—it’s lived experience. [Image by Copilot from a photo by Penny Duncan]")
Summary: A senior citizen's journey as a novice BMX racer illustrates change leadership as a lived practice, blending strategic concepts with practical application. Facing health challenges, he conducted a gap analysis to align his current state with his vision of racing competitively with his grandchildren. His approach integrated key change leadership practices: leveraging intrinsic (personal growth) and extrinsic (family inspiration) motivation, crafting a structured action plan with BMX practice, strength training, and continuous learning, and embracing mentorship from elite racers. His willingness to navigate discomfort and failure fostered a growth mindset, culminating in a 3rd-place finish in the Arizona State BMX Championship (66+ Cruiser Class). His ongoing success reflects agile leadership through continuous assessment and adaptation, preventing regression. This case demonstrates how visioning, disciplined execution, psychological safety, and mentorship drive sustainable transformation. His story offers a model for applying change leadership to personal or professional gaps, inspiring adaptive, impactful growth.
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- Written by Brent A Duncan, PhD
A Silicon Valley manufacturing company decides to outsource manufacturing operations and lay off thousands of employees. Their approach is a model for transitioning employees into brighter futures while increasing operational efficiencies.
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- Written by Brent A Duncan, PhD
Traditional change management theory often begins with diagnosing an organization's issues, assuming this step precedes intervention. However, Edgar Schein (1995) challenges this notion by arguing that diagnosing itself is an intervention that alters the organizational dynamics. He elaborates on Kurt Lewin's idea that understanding an organization is intrinsically linked to changing it, stating, "Everything we do with a client system is an intervention… unless we intervene, we will not learn what some of the essential dynamics of the system really are" (Schein, 1995, p. 65). This perspective underscores that diagnosing and changing an organization are intertwined processes.
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- Written by Brent A Duncan, PhD
Change literature identifies various change targets in organizational settings, like strategy, people, relationships, processes, and technology (Seo, Putnam, & Bartunek, 2004). Perceiving an organization as a dynamically complex social system can help focus limited change resources on individual, group, and culture. These dimensions of an organizing system are not separate parts but also are dynamically interconnected dimensions that build on the previous level: individuals form the group; individuals and groups form the culture. However, this influence not only radiates from individual to group to culture but dynamically interacts among all social dimensions within an organization’s boundaries, affecting the organization’s ability to adapt to the environment outside its boundaries.