A well-known model for the reaction to change is the so-called “change curve”. It is originally based on a model by the Swiss-US psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, who used it to describe 5 stages of grief.
The model is often used in change management to show the impact of change on employee performance.
Depending on the type of change, human reactions start with initial euphoria or shock. This tends to be followed by a denial of the actual impact of the change.
Denial must be overcome before an employee can enter the resistance phase. And usually some form of resistance comes automatically. Be it emotional or rational. Whether it is because of letting go of the existing things or getting involved with the new things.
The resistance phase starts with the acceptance of the change, either out of conviction or due to the realization that remaining in the company requires “putting up with” the change. For some people, this transition phase feels particularly long: the so-called “valley of tears.”
After the resistance is overcome and the change is rationally and emotionally accepted, the phase of trying things out and embracing the change begins. Subsequently, the new behavior is internalized and becomes routine – if the next change is not triggered beforehand.
Depending on prior experience and history in the company in question, change projects can start with a positive or negative initial mood. If the will to change exists and the goals are clearly communicated, positive feelings usually prevail at the start of the project. However, these quickly cloud over as soon as the “concept” and, later on, the “implementation” crisis occur. In the first case, conflicts – usually between the project and the line – over the “right direction” cause the mood to drop dramatically. In the second case, many small problems contribute to a depressed mood and the motivation of those involved slips into the basement.
