How to Use Force Field Analysis to Drive Organisational Change [How-To Guide #021]
A practical, underutilised model for managing change and resolving organisational inertia.
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What Is Force Field Analysis and Why It Matters
Origin: Developed by social psychologist Kurt Lewin in the 1940s, Force Field Analysis is a foundational model in change management.
Core Idea: Any situation is held in balance by competing forces—driving forces pushing for change and restraining forces resisting it. Change occurs by strengthening the drivers or weakening the resistors.
Why It Matters: Most change efforts fail because they overfocus on building momentum without addressing what’s holding the system in place. Lewin’s model forces leaders to diagnose and shift the real dynamics behind stasis or failure.
Use Case: A UK-based insurance firm wanted to roll out self-service claims tech. They invested heavily in training but ignored internal resistance from assessors fearing job loss. Using Force Field Analysis, they identified and addressed these hidden blockers—leading to a successful relaunch three months later.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Apply Force Field Analysis
Step 1: Define the Desired Change
What to do: Be specific. State the change in terms of target behaviour or outcome.
How to do it: Write a one-sentence description: “We want [x] to move from [current state] to [future state] by [date].”
Who: Change lead, project sponsor.
Time needed: 1 hour.
Step 2: Identify Driving Forces
What to do: List all the factors pushing for change (e.g. customer demand, regulatory pressure, CEO vision, tech trends).
How to do it: Use a brainstorming session or interviews. Categorise as internal vs external.
Who: Cross-functional group.
Time needed: Half-day workshop.
Step 3: Identify Restraining Forces
What to do: List all the forces maintaining the status quo (e.g. fear, outdated KPIs, skill gaps, cultural habits).
How to do it: Use anonymous surveys or one-on-one interviews for candour. Capture both explicit and implicit resistance.
Who: Same group as Step 2, plus HR or internal comms.
Time needed: 1–2 days.
Step 4: Score the Forces
What to do: Rate each force on a scale of 1–5 based on strength and influence.
How to do it: Use a whiteboard or digital board with arrows of varying lengths. Total both sides.
Who: Change leader or facilitator.
Time needed: 1–2 hours.
Step 5: Plan Interventions
What to do: Develop actions to:
Strengthen the strongest drivers
Weaken or remove the strongest resistors
How to do it: Assign owners, create timelines, and track impact using a change dashboard.
Who: Change team, department heads.
Time needed: 1–2 weeks for planning, ongoing for execution.
Pitfalls and Misapplications
Ignoring the restraining forces: Change is not just about motivation; resistance has roots. Address them.
Scoring too vaguely: Use evidence. “High resistance” needs examples: employee survey data, attrition, system usage logs.
Overloading the model: Stick to no more than 6–8 forces per side. Otherwise, it becomes a to-do list, not a diagnosis.
Thinking short-term: Restraining forces often return. Build in re-checks.
Signs You’re Doing It Wrong
The same barriers resurface later
You rely solely on incentives to drive change
No one can explain what’s really blocking progress
Take Action: Apply It This Week
Quick Win: Choose one ongoing change initiative. In your next leadership meeting, ask the team to list the top three drivers and top three resistors. Score them. The biggest gap is your next priority.
Deep Dive: Build a Force Field Analysis board in Miro or MURAL. Run a full session with 6–8 leaders from across the organisation. Turn the output into a change roadmap.