Leading ChangeDriving successful transformation in turbulent environments

Action Research Process diagram with five steps: form relationship, diagnose need, introduce intervention, evaluate and stabilize, disengage consultant.

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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.