Virginia Satir was an influential American psychotherapist, known for her significant contributions to family therapy and the development of experiential therapy.
Her insights into human behavior and communication have had a lasting impact, leading to the development of the Satir Change Model. This model was first developed to understand and guide individuals and families through the process of change. However, Satir’s change model has also been adapted for organizational settings for a long time.
In this article, we’ll go through the stages of the change model and see how leaders can implement change in an organization.
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In an organization context, The Satir Change Model is a psychological framework that describes the change process in the workplace. Her model is particularly focused on the human aspects of change, including the emotional responses employees experience throughout the process.
Satir’s Change Model is a helpful way to understand how people respond to change at work—not just the process, but the emotions behind it.
It shows that when a change happens, whether it’s a new system, team structure, or strategy, people often feel uncomfortable or resistant at first. This can lead to a period of confusion or even chaos. But with time and support, individuals and organizations adjust, learn, and eventually reach a more effective and stable place than where they started.
The goal of the Satir Model is to support deep and lasting transformation by improving how employees and team leaders manage and react to change.
According to the Satir model, change occurs in five stages: Late Status Quo, Resistance, Chaos, Integration, and New Status Quo.
Late Status Quo: This initial stage is where things are familiar and comfortable. The system in the organization is stable, but there may be underlying issues that are not being addressed.
Resistance: When a foreign element or a change is introduced, it disrupts the status quo. This resistance to change manifests itself in employee emotional responses such as denial, anger, or anxiety, driven by fear or uncertainty.
Chaos: As the change progresses, the system enters a phase of chaos. During this process, old patterns have been disrupted, but new ones have not yet been established, leading to confusion and disorder. This is often the most challenging phase, as the reaction to change feels overwhelming, with no clear direction or stability.
Integration: Gradually, integration occurs as employees and the system begin to experiment with new behaviors and ways of being. New ideas and processes start to make sense, and employees begin to see the benefits of the change. This stage is characterized by learning and growth.
New Status Quo: Finally, a new status quo is established. The system stabilizes again into a new form of normalcy, which incorporates the changes that have occurred. This new status quo is ideally more functional and improved compared to the old one.
The Satir Change Curve is a visual way to understand how people emotionally respond to change. Based on Virginia Satir’s model, it maps out the stages individuals and teams typically go through: starting from the moment change is introduced, through the confusion and disruption it causes, and finally to a new, more stable state.
Before integrating Satir’s Change Model methodology, as a leader, ask yourself are your employees ready for change?
Here’s how leaders can approach each stage of the Satir change model to lead the process:
In the Late Status Quo phase, leaders should assess the current state and prepare for change. They should identify both strengths and underlying issues and communicate with the team to build flexibility.
In the Resistance stage, leaders should practise effective communication to embrace change and inform the team about the reasons for change and its benefits. Effective leadership during change involves genuinely understanding and addressing the concerns and emotions of team members. In this phase, leaders should build empathy with the team and provide support through counseling and training to ease the transition.
Leaders must be actively involved in team management and be visible during the Chaos stage. Leading by example can reassure and stabilize the workforce. Leaders can take advantage of the chaos, using it as an opportunity to encourage innovative thinking.
As new processes and behaviors start to form in the Integration phase, leaders should guide their teams on how to integrate these changes into their daily operations. For this, they can provide team training for employees. This ensures that the team has the necessary management tools, skills, and resources to adapt to the change. Additionally, schedule regular catch-up meetings to monitor progress, run the start, stop, continue exercise to collect feedback, address any challenges, and reinforce the new processes and behaviors.
Once the new practices are established, it’s important to support these changes through policies, culture, and rewards. In the New Status Quo stage, leaders should celebrate the successes and recognize team achievement.
One of the biggest strengths of Satir’s model is that it focuses on how people feel during change. It recognizes that emotions like fear, resistance, or anxiety are completely normal. By acknowledging these feelings, leaders can create a more supportive environment, where team members feel heard, reassured, and motivated to move forward. It also encourages celebrating small wins, which helps build confidence and trust throughout the change process.
While the model emphasizes emotional support, it may not provide enough guidance on the practical aspects of implementing change, such as setting clear goals, planning, and executing specific steps. Leaders need to balance emotional considerations with practical strategies to ensure the change is not only accepted but also successfully implemented and sustained within the organization.
Change leadership refers to the process and ability to lead, manage, and facilitate change within an organization. To effectively navigate organizational change, leaders and managers at all levels can benefit from structured learning experiences like those offered in our Change Management Training. This program equips individuals with the necessary tools and techniques to drive successful change initiatives, aligning closely with the principles outlined in Satir's model.
Take our Change Readiness Assessment, designed for team leaders, managers, supervisors, and change agents, to evaluate the factors that significantly impact the likelihood of a change initiative's success and that they can control at a high level.
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