Dissolving the Change Curve

The Change Curve is based on a model from the work of Elizabeth Kubler Ross in the 1960s to show the ‘normal’ emotional reaction over time in people in their grieving process. Since then, it’s been widely used in organisations to show the typical way people in teams, departments and organisations respond to change over time.

The model has been adapted, yet almost all the adaptations in the past 50 years share the following stages:

1. Shock and Denial
2. Anger and Depression
3. Acceptance and Integration

Studies show that individual and team performance drops, most notably in stage 2, then rises again in stage 3. Studies also show that at an individual level, the depth to which performance drops varies, as does the length of time people spend at each stage. The individual variations are vast. And significant to look at.

What many people suggest in the individuals who are not impacted and don’t seem to go through the phases, is that they remain in denial. While this may be true for some people, in my own observations, the vast majority of people aren’t in denial, they are able to take change in their stride. They are unflustered by what’s going on around them. They are able to remain focused, clear, and perform at their usual level while their colleagues around them can be close to panic.

In the past 8 years in my career, as well as delivering skills programs to organisations, I’ve also trained executives and organisations in newer areas to me that have delivered astounding results.

One way of describing this is looking at what goes on inside human beings at work. What determines how well they do moment-by-moment. With some organisations, we’ve called it ‘Innate Resilience’, ‘Sustainable Performance’, ‘Inner Brilliance’ and ‘Bulletproof State of Mind’.

It points to the same ‘home truths’ for human beings:

1. External factors do not determine how we feel
2. How we feel does not determine our performance

These 2 facts can take some time to see and understand, and they fly in the face of the pervasive paradigm in our society. Yet, once anyone grasps them (as I have seen for myself) the truth of these 2 points becomes obvious. Once they are seen by anyone, and seen universally – for all human beings, in every life situation – the impact on their quality of work, their enjoyment, their working relationships and every single personal attribute remains high, at no emotional cost. ?

Another way to say it, is the organisation's greatest assets, their people, operate at a higher level, consistently. They have more innovative, creative ideas. Their problem-solving ability is in full force. Their natural agility shows up. They listen. They communicate clearly. They are great leaders and team players. They are more open to feedback, and the feedback they give is accurate and delivered in a way that makes the receiver grateful. They focus on what matters most. They are present to their work, colleagues and stakeholders – not lost in overthinking. They build people and ideas up. Their decision-making ability is at its highest. They are good to be around. They are authentic. They are inspired. And greater results are inevitable.

In my experience, over 95% of ‘personal effectiveness’ training and coaching that is delivered to people and organisations helps them deal with external circumstances. Or helps them be in a specific feeling state/belief. While all these are well intended, they are limited, because they don’t address the 2 truths I mentioned above. If I were to be blunt, they are limited in their effectiveness because they are founded on a myth.

What is possible, from understanding the truth of those 2 facts, is the list of attributes every head of ?HR / Chief People Officer would wish for from their organisation’s people.

And when their people do understand these, then the change curve is at worst, shallow and quick, leaving the organisation's greatest asset free to be at their best.

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