What methods are used for strategy, culture, and change?

Spiral Dynamics is a model of human development that describes how individuals and organizations move through different value systems. Developed by Don Beck and Christopher Cowan based on the research of Clare W. Graves (1970), it maps patterns of thinking and behavior into sequential stages of development. The model reveals which values drive an organization and enables leadership and communication to be strategically aligned with each developmental level.

We use Spiral Dynamics (https://www.spiraldynamics.net/) particularly in cultural analysis and the development of communication strategies – especially in the areas of strategic communication, change communication, and leadership. The model helps explain why certain messages resonate differently with different audiences, and provides the foundation for targeted communication in change processes.

Chained Conversations are a systemic interview method developed by Gerhard Wohland for analyzing organizational culture. The consultant formulates hypotheses after each conversation and refines them in the next interview. After approximately six to seven linked conversations, previously hidden cultural patterns and unspoken dynamics become visible – creating a clear picture of how an organization truly operates.

We use Chained Conversations primarily in cultural analysis and organizational diagnostics – for example before strategy processes, mergers, or when recurring conflicts indicate deeper systemic issues. This proven tool of organizational development makes invisible behavior patterns within companies visible and actively supports cultural transformation and change communication.

The Change Curve is based on the model of the five stages of grief developed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in 1969 (On Death and Dying). Applied to change management, it describes the typical emotional phases people go through during change processes: shock, denial, resistance, rational acceptance, emotional acceptance, and integration. 1) Shock – disbelief. 2) Denial – rejection. 3) Resistance – emotional low point. 4) Exploration – openness to new possibilities. 5) Acceptance – integration into the new reality. Richard K. Streich expanded the model in 1988 to seven phases for the organizational context (see diagram).

In change communication, we use the Kübler-Ross Curve to understand which emotional phase those affected are in and to adapt communication accordingly. Especially in the early phases of change processes, the model helps anticipate resistance and address it with empathy rather than bypassing it.

The 8-Step Model by John P. Kotter is a management-oriented framework for successful change processes, first published in 1995 in the Harvard Business Review and in 1996 in the book Leading Change. The eight steps range from creating a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, and developing a vision, through to anchoring new structures in corporate culture. Unlike the Kübler-Ross Curve, Kotter views change as a strategically manageable, organizational process.

We use the Kotter Model as a strategic framework for managing change processes and combine it in our consulting practice with the Kübler-Ross Curve: Kotter provides the structure for organizational management, while Kübler-Ross offers an understanding of the emotional side of those affected. In transformation processes and change communication, this combination is particularly effective because rational arguments alone are rarely sufficient in times of change.

The Golden Circle is a communication model by Simon Sinek, introduced in his 2009 TED Talk "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" – with over 60 million views, one of the most-watched TED Talks of all time. The model describes three levels: Why, How, and What. Its core insight: successful companies and leaders communicate from the inside out – they start with Why, not with What. Sinek published the model in his 2009 bestseller Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.

We use the Golden Circle in strategic positioning and communications consulting – particularly in the development of effective change stories. The model helps organizations align their communication with their actual purpose, creating greater clarity, trust, and identification both internally and externally.

The Communication Square (also known as the Four-Ears Model or Four-Sides Model) was developed by Friedemann Schulz von Thun in 1981. It describes how every message simultaneously contains four dimensions: factual content, self-disclosure, a relationship indicator, and an appeal. What we say, how we say it, and what resonates between the lines significantly influences how communication is perceived.

In corporate communication, we use the Communication Square to craft messages with precision and avoid misunderstandings. The model is particularly valuable in developing leadership communication and conveying strategy, where the emotional and factual dimensions of a message need to be consciously aligned.

The Iceberg Model, attributed to Paul Watzlawick in communication theory, illustrates that only a small part of communication is visible (the factual level), while the far greater part lies beneath the surface (the relationship level). Disruptions at the relationship level – such as a lack of trust or unspoken conflicts – directly affect factual communication. This insight goes back to Watzlawick's axiom that every communication has both a content and a relationship aspect.

We use the Iceberg Model in strategy communication, change communication, and media and presentation training. It helps leaders recognize that the way they communicate is often more important than the factual content itself – and that effective communication must consciously address the relationship level.