What are the best change management frameworks to use?

Why Change Management Frameworks Matter

In today’s fast-moving world, organisations must adapt or risk falling behind. But change—even when necessary—can be messy, disruptive and resisted. That’s where change management frameworks come in. These structured approaches act as a roadmap, guiding leaders and teams through the stages of change: from recognising the need, to implementing solutions, to embedding new practices.

In this article, we explore what makes a change management framework “best” for your context, review the leading models (Kotter, Lewin, ADKAR, McKinsey 7-S, Bridges, Kübler-Ross, Satir, Maurer, Agile, and more), compare their strengths and limitations, and offer guidance on selecting and combining frameworks for optimal success.

By reading this guide, you will gain:

• A clear understanding of major change management frameworks

• A comparison of when to use each model

• Key tips for integrating frameworks into your change initiatives

• SEO-optimised content to help this article rank for “change management frameworks”

Let’s begin by defining what a framework is and why it’s valuable.

What Is a Change Management Framework — And Why Use One?

A change management framework is a structured method that helps organisations navigate change in a consistent, transparent way. It breaks down the journey into stages (or elements), offers tools and processes, and gives teams a shared language.

Key Benefits of Using a Framework

1. Roadmap from start to finish. A change management framework provides a sequence of steps or elements, from preparing for change through to sustaining new practices.

2. Reduced uncertainty. In times of flux, people feel unsettled. A framework offers clarity and structure to reduce confusion.

3. Better handling of resistance. Most models explicitly account for human and emotional dynamics, helping you anticipate and manage opposition.

4. Higher success rates. Research indicates that projects with strong change management are up to 7× more likely to succeed than those without.

5. Alignment of people and business goals. A good framework helps align leadership, staff, and processes with the new strategic direction.

   
   

Given these advantages, the question becomes: which frameworks work best — and when? Let’s review the most widely used and respected models.

Top Change Management Frameworks Explained

Here is a detailed guide to the best change management frameworks, what each offers, and when to apply them.

1. Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model

Overview & Key Steps. John Kotter’s model is one of the most widely used organisational change frameworks. It emphasizes a top-down, leader-driven approach and consists of eight steps:

1. Create a sense of urgency

2. Build a guiding coalition

3. Form a strategic vision

4. Communicate the vision

5. Remove barriers

6. Generate short-term wins

7. Sustain acceleration

8. Embed the changes into culture (institute change)

This structured process helps leaders drive momentum and embed change at scale.

Strengths

• Clear, sequential steps that are easy to communicate

• Focus on leadership, visibility and early wins

• Useful for large transformations

Limitations

• Can feel too rigid or linear in fast-changing environments

• Less emphasis on bottom-up feedback

• May struggle to adapt mid-process

Best Used When you have strong executive support and need a visible, sequential process for large organisation-wide change. Pairing it with feedback-oriented models can mitigate its weaknesses.

2. Lewin’s Three-Stage Model

Overview & Key Phases. Developed by Kurt Lewin, this simple but classic model divides change into three phases:

1. Unfreeze – Prepare the organisation by breaking down the status quo

2. Change (Transition) – Introduce new practices, behaviours, or systems

3. Refreeze – Stabilise and institutionalise the new state

By “unfreezing” old mindsets, guiding the transition, and later embedding change, Lewin’s model emphasises psychological readiness. Whatfix+3Zendesk+3heflo.com+3

Strengths

• Very intuitive and easy to apply

• Good for communicating the broad process

• Emphasises the need to stabilise after change

Limitations

• Overly simplistic for complex or continuous change

• “Refreezing” can feel outdated in dynamic organisations

• Does not deeply address individual resistance or context

Best Used WhenWhen change is manageable and discrete (e.g. departmental processes, new policy rollouts), or as a starting conceptual lens.

3. ADKAR Model

Overview & Key ElementsThe ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) is a widely adopted framework focused primarily on individual change. It asserts that change happens one person at a time, and all five elements must be addressed.

• Awareness of the need for change

• Desire to support and participate

• Knowledge of how to change

• Ability to implement the new behaviours

• Reinforcement to sustain change

Strengths

• Highly people-focused, ensuring individual buy-in

• Helps diagnose exactly where adoption is failing

• Practical and clear for change agents

Limitations

• Doesn’t provide a full organisational roadmap

• Needs to be complemented by structural or process frameworks

• Works best for incremental change rather than radical transformation

Best Used WhenYou need to secure adoption of new behaviours, technologies or systems at the individual level. It pairs well with frameworks that offer more organisational structure.

4. McKinsey 7-S Model

Overview & Key Elements. The McKinsey 7-S framework looks at seven interdependent elements within an organisation:

• Hard elements: Strategy, Structure, Systems

• Soft elements: Shared Values, Style, Staff, Skills

Unlike linear models, these elements influence each other: a change in “Systems” may demand a shift in “Style” or “Skills”.

Strengths

• Holistic view that recognises complexity

• Helps diagnose misalignment in large organisations

• Useful in mergers, restructures, strategic pivots

Limitations

• Lacks step-by-step guidance

• Requires deep analysis and cross-functional work

• Not as strong on the human/psychological side

Best Used WhenYou need a diagnostic tool for complex or broad changes—especially when multiple organisational dimensions must align. Often used alongside ADKAR or a step model.

5. Bridges’ Transition Model

Overview & Key Phases. William Bridges distinguished between change (the external event) and transition (the internal psychological process). His model has three phases:

1. Ending, Losing, Letting Go

2. The Neutral Zone

3. The New Beginning

By recognising that people must let go before moving forward, the model emphasises the emotional journey during change.

Strengths

• Focuses on the human side of change

• Useful alongside structural models

• Helps leaders anticipate resistance and emotional turbulence

Limitations

• Doesn’t offer detailed implementation steps

• Neutral zone can be long and ambiguous

Best Used WhenEspecially when your change involves a significant human impact, cultural shift or emotional resistance. Works well in tandem with frameworks that provide more concrete steps.

6. Kübler-Ross Change Curve (Grief Curve)

Overview & Stages. Adapted from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s grief model, this curve tracks five emotional stages people often pass through, in no set order:

• Denial

• Anger

• Bargaining

• Depression

• Acceptance

It helps change leaders understand and empathise with how individuals may respond emotionally.

Strengths

• Captures the emotional complexity of change

• Makes visible the less rational responses

• Useful as a companion model

Limitations

• Not linear or predictable

• Doesn’t instruct on organisational steps

• May not directly lead to interventions

Best Used WhenYou want to anticipate emotional reactions and design supportive interventions. Best used alongside more procedural frameworks.

7. Satir Change Model

Overview & StagesThe Satir model views change in five stages:

1. Late Status Quo

2. Resistance

3. Chaos

4. Integration

5. New Status Quo

It emphasises that performance often dips before recovery (the “chaos” phase).

Strengths

• Acknowledges nonlinear dynamics

• Helps set realistic expectations about performance dips

• Useful for leadership coaching

Limitations

• Does not directly offer steps for structural change

• More descriptive than prescriptive

Best Used WhenYou expect turbulence, performance drops, or emotional volatility. Use it to guide communication and support programmes.

8. Maurer’s Three Levels of Resistance and Change

Overview & Resistance LevelsRick Maurer’s model focuses on why change efforts fail by exploring three resistance levels:

1. “I don’t get it.” — Lack of information

2. “I don’t like it.” — Emotional reaction

3. “I don’t like you.” — Distrust of the messenger

Maurer argues that many failures stem from not addressing these barriers.

Strengths

• Sharp focus on common obstacles

• Helps in diagnosing stalled change initiatives

• Can be layered over any framework

Limitations

• Doesn’t offer a full roadmap

• Needs to be paired with stepwise or structural models

Best Used WhenYou confront resistance or stalled adoption. Use it as a diagnostic lens to unblock trouble spots.

9. Agile Change Management / Iterative Models

Overview & Principles. Drawing from Agile software practices, Agile change management promotes iterative, incremental change, close stakeholder collaboration, and rapid feedback. Key strategies include:

• Adaptability over rigid plans

• Short cycles or sprints

• Frequent stakeholder engagement

• Continuous learning and adaptation

Strengths

• Very responsive to changing conditions

• Encourages stakeholder involvement and feedback

• Reduces risk by making small, manageable changes

Limitations

• May lack clarity on overall end state

• Requires strong team discipline and governance

• Less suited where regulation demands full, structured plans

Best Used WhenYou are in a fast-changing environment or doing digital transformation. Can be combined with frameworks like ADKAR or Kotter to provide structure and flexibility.

How to Choose the Best Change Management Framework(s)

No single framework is perfect for every situation. The key is choosing or combining models to suit your context. Here are steps and criteria to guide your decision:

1. Analyse the Type and Scale of Change

• Incremental, small-scale change → ADKAR, Nudge Theory

• Large, organisation-wide transformation → Kotter, Prosci, McKinsey 7-S

• Emotionally heavy change (e.g. restructuring, merger) → Bridges, Kübler-Ross, Satir

2. Consider Your Culture and Readiness

A rigid, hierarchical culture may prefer top-down models (Kotter, Lewin). More adaptive or agile cultures may benefit from iterative approaches.

3. Decide whether to prioritise structure or people

If adoption is your biggest hurdle, emphasise people-centric frameworks (ADKAR, Maurer). If integration across systems is essential, use structural frameworks (McKinsey 7-S).

4. Be ready to blend frameworks

Many successful change efforts combine models. For example:

• Kotter + ADKAR

• McKinsey 7-S + Bridges

• Agile change + ADKAR

5. Use diagnostics and feedback loops

Regularly monitor where resistance occurs, adoption lags, or alignment issues appear—and be prepared to pivot or reinforce elements.

6. Build leadership and sponsorship

Regardless of the framework, visible senior leadership support is essential. Without it, even the best frameworks fail.

Recommended Frameworks by Scenario

Here’s a quick reference table to map context → recommended frameworks:

Scenario	Recommended Framework(s)	Why
Large, strategic transformation	Kotter + Prosci / ADKAR	Gives structure and ensures individual adoption
Behavioural / tech adoption	ADKAR + Nudge Theory	Focuses on individual change and choice
Reorganisation / restructuring	McKinsey 7-S + Bridges	Aligns systems and attends to emotional transitions
High turbulence / iterative change	Agile + ADKAR	Supports adaptability and people focus
Highly emotional change (merger, downsizing)	Kübler-Ross + Bridges	Helps navigate grief and loss
Diagnosing failures	Maurer’s model overlay	Identify specific resistance causes

Key Recommendations for Implementation Success

To ensure that whichever framework (or combination) you adopt actually delivers, pay attention to these practices:

1. Secure executive sponsorshipVisible leadership champions help anchor change.

2. Communicate early and oftenUse multiple channels and repeat core messages.

3. Engage stakeholders at all levelsConversations and feedback loops are critical.

4. Provide training, resources and coachingSupport both skills and mindset shifts.

5. Measure and monitor progressUse metrics like adoption rates, sentiment surveys, behaviours.

6. Celebrate early winsShort-term wins build confidence and momentum.

7. Adapt as neededBe prepared to revise approaches if obstacles emerge.

8. Embed change into cultureAlign systems, rewards, policies, and norms.

9. Sustain reinforcementUse follow-ups, audits, reminders to prevent regression.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Navigating organisational change is challenging—but using the right change management frameworks can make your efforts more effective, structured, and human. Some key conclusions and recommendations:

• No one model fits all: choose or blend frameworks based on scale, culture, and emotional dynamics

• People are central: even the best frameworks must address resistance, emotions and adoption

• Combine structure with flexibility: e.g. use Kotter’s steps plus ADKAR’s individual lens

• Lead, measure, adapt and reinforce: change is ongoing, not a one-time event

• Use diagnostics like Maurer’s model to spot resistance early

• In fast-paced environments, lean into agile change practices

• Most importantly, tailor each framework to your context rather than applying it mechanically

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