4. Change Management
The change curve
Predictable dip, manageable depth
Use when
Setting leader expectations; timing communication and support
- 1
Shock/denial
'This won't really affect us'; information needs repeating
- 2
Frustration
Resistance, blame, grief; listen more than argue
- 3
The dip
Lowest energy and performance; support, don't push targets
- 4
Experiment
First tries at the new way; protect and praise these
- 5
Commitment
New normal; capture lessons, recognize the journey
How to use it
Adapted from Kubler-Ross. Two management uses: leaders stop panicking at the dip because it was predicted, and support is timed to stage (information early, empathy in the middle, coaching at experimentation). Watch-out: individuals move at different speeds; never announce which stage someone is 'in'.
Card details
- Model type
- Sequence
- Origin status
- Established
- Content last reviewed
- 28 July 2026
Origin
EstablishedAdapted from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, 1969; applied to organizational change by later practitioners.