When change is first announced, people start off in shock. They might feel numb and unable to react in the first instance.
It may take time for people to process the new information and consider its ramifications. During this time, they may behave as though the change is not taking place or is not imminent. They may refuse to engage with the reality of the situation. It is often a stressful and difficult stage for all concerned.
When the reality of the situation can no longer be denied, people may become angry. This anger might be directed at themselves, or others. They might disregard the rules, disengage or lash out and seek to blame other people as a defence mechanism against the discomfort. Of all the change curve emotions, this one has perhaps the greatest potential to cause damage in team relationships.
In the fourth stage, we began to engage with the change, but not in a constructive way. People bargain or look for trade-offs. Their suggestions might be impractical or unrealistic and are a means of seeking to manage the change so that it does not affect them adversely. In other words, there’s still an element of denial in their approach.
At work, this might mean that people adopt some parts of a new strategy (those that require least adapting) but don’t really engage with the change as a whole.
This is the lowest emotional point in the change curve. People are likely to be experiencing loss, doubt and confusion as well as fear, regret and even guilt. It may depend on the individual as to how this manifests itself at work, but at this stage, people might become withdrawn and disengaged, and have difficulty focusing on work. They might begin to question how their job might look in view of the changes, and whether they can continue in their role.
At this stage, people stop focusing on what has been lost. They begin to rationalise and take steps towards adapting to the change. This stage often sees a rise in morale, engagement and performance. These are positive signs, but remember that it is possible for people to regress to an earlier stage at any time.
- Stage 7 - Problem-solving
By the end of the process, people are not only resigned to the change, but are actively committed to it. They might test and explore different elements of the new ways of working. They become engaged in solving problems that the change may have created and are looking for solutions to move things forward.
New ways of working become commonplace and individuals can see the benefits of the changes for themselves, such as increased productivity or more effective working practices. It is only at this stage that the organisation begins to see the return on investment (ROI) for making changes.
Whilst the change curve model consists of a standard set of emotional responses, our approach and priorities at work (for example, our Belbin Team Roles) can influence how we experience and progress through the curve and what kind of help we might require at each stage.