Kurt Lewin from a leader. Members are given choices and collectively decide the division of labor. Praise and criticism in such an environment are objective, fact minded and given by a group member without necessarily having participated extensively in the actual work. Laissez-faire environments give freedom to the group for policy determination without any participation from the leader. The leader remains uninvolved in work decisions unless asked, does not participate in the division of labor, and very infrequently gives praise. An early model of change developed by Lewin described change as a three-stage process. The first stage he called "unfreezing". It involved
Kurt Schmidt and for that he received the Wound Badge in Silver. He also received the Hanseatic Cross from the city of Hamburg. In the last months of the war he was promoted to "Hauptmann" (captain). Kurt Schmidt was a member of the staff of the 5th Infantry Division in 1930, in 1931 he was promoted to Major; in 1937 he was promoted to Oberst. In 1937 the newly promoted Oberst Kurt Schmidt moved with his family to the German town of Hamelin. When he moved to Hamelin he was commander of "Infanterie-Regiment 74". He took part in the invasion of Poland