Transition through Change
The transition curve is based upon the Kübler Ross ‘5 stages of grief’ which can be applied to a situation that involves change. It shows how over time the emotional response of an individual will move through stability, immobilisation, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and acceptance.
This tool can be used to help manage your teams or stakeholders through an initiative or activity.
Having an awareness of the phases that people may go through before accepting the change will help you to guide them through it.
It is important to note that not everyone will go through all the phases and some may stay in phases longer than others. Also, that these experiences are not always linear.
Transition through the curve will feel uncomfortable at times.
Transition Curve
Source: Kübler Ross.
Hints & Tips
- Complete as a team exercise to help make the team aware that they are likely to go through similar stages during the life of the initiative.
- Encourage the team to share what they need to move forward and perhaps buddy up people at different stages (to help one another progress).
- Enable people to share their emotional experience during the initiative.
- Try not to be judgemental about people’s experiences as people encounter changes differently. (See Personal Resilience)
- Offer support throughout the initiative.