This text has been published first on 19. September 2024 as an article on LinkedIn

 

Change Curves are individual

"The" Change Curve is one of the most used models in Change Management and Transformation since many decades. The most common form originates from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in the 1960s.

 Unfortunately ... it is often used to explain the emotional situation of an entire organization during transformation. From my perspective ... this sentence already shows that something is off. An organization doesn’t have emotions. People do. 

 

Let’s reflect ... why and in which ways the Change Curve can only describe an individual’s emotional journey through change.

The change curve depicts the sequence of emotions experienced during significant change. It starts with Shock and Denial, over Anger and Depression towards Acceptance and Integration/Support.

Change curve with associated emotions over time

 
People cope differently with change due to various individual reasons, as I've already mentioned in my early post on identity pillars (link in comments). The effect could also be displayed in the change curve.
Some might be less emotional or more emotional. Others might be more optimistic in general. There could be fast adopters always excited about new things. If we throw in just these four “characters”, we already end up with a range of change curves.

 Different change curve characters (examples)


Additionally, people get exposed at different points in time to the changes during transformations. In terms of using “the” change curve for the entire organization, it’s not helping. But it is a good thing for transformation managers and a central aspect of change management. Please refer to my earlier post on stakeholder specific change journeys for that (link in the comments, as well).

How do you want to utilize this mess?

 Various change curve characters and starting times


 In a nutshell - NOT for entire organizations, but helpful anyways

  • Everyone experiences their own „journey“ along the change curve. It can be faster, slower, more or less impactful, more positive or negative, earlier or later … yes, individual.
  • You can use it to explain what happens emotionally on individual level during significant change.
  • You can make leaders aware, that their people will require time and exposure to consider the changes in order to make progress along their individual change curve.
  • You can try to avoid too many individuals being in anger and depression mode at the same time, by designing and adjusting your change architecture accordingly.
  • You can also use the model to reflect in which state individuals currently might be. With that, you can think about helpful interventions.


Considering this, for me, is one step from change management towards change facilitation.


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