Fundamentals of Level Three Leadership

121. Kurt Lewin’s Model

Concept

Kurt Lewin was an early pioneer in applied social-psychology— something that hits at the heart of management. Lewin’s work added a rich understanding to the field of management. He added force field analysis, a theory of human behavior (behavior is a function of the person in his or her environment—a precursor to contingency theory ala Lawrence and Lorsch), gestaltism, systems thinking (contextual analysis), action research (later expanded by Chris Agryris), leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire), and managing change. ¹² By all accounts, Lewin significantly influenced many aspects of modern management thinking. The persistence of VABE-based conflicts in the 21st century underlie the depth ...