CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Checklist to Manage Through the Five Stages of Emotional Response to Change Tool Summary
Source: Enterprise Solutions Competency Center; Elizabeth Kubler-Ross; Corporate Leadership Council research. Purpose: This checklist uses Kubler-Rosss model, which identifies the human emotional response to change over time, to outline common employee responses, and to make suggestions for how to manage these reactions. User Guidelines: Ensure managers understand the five emotional responses to changedenial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance Use the middle column to understand how employees demonstrate various stages of change Use the right-hand column suggestions to address employees reactions as the change progresses and they move through some or all of the five emotional responses Context: During times of business uncertainty, such as during a merger or acquisition, employees may have a variety of reactions to the change. Engagement, morale, and productivity may decline as employees wonder how the change will affect them personally. Companies must ensure that managers are well equipped to communicate with and interact with employees on a regular basis to help mitigate the negative effects that may accompany change. Managers have an incredibly powerful role during change given their daily interactions with employees. Their ability to recognize and proactively respond to certain behavior driven by emotional responses to change can mitigate negative responses to change. This model outlines five human emotional reactions to change (shown in gray ovals in the figure below), which typically occur in sequence, and the checklist helps companies prepare their managers to support employees throughout the change. Commitment Over Time in Context of a Change

Internalization Acceptance

Commit

Level of Commitment

Institutionalization Checklist to Manage through the Five Stages of Emotional Response to Change Depression Adoption Bargaining Anger Denial Contact Awareness Understanding Positive Perception

Educate

Inform

Unawareness

Confusion

Negative Perception

Decision Not to Support Withdrawn Compliance after Use Support Change

Commitment

Time

Adapted from ODR, Inc.

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Checklist to Manage Through the Five Stages of Emotional Response to Change
Emotional Response Employee Reaction Individual believes that the problem has corrected itself and will be over soon Individual displays apathy and numbness (e.g., I dont care what happens or It doesnt matter to me) Individual tries to rationalize the change away (e.g., Theyre not seriously going to lay off employees) Suggested Manager Response

Review the business case for the change

Denial

Emphasize that the change will happen

Allow time for change to sink in

Individual tries to sabotage the change effort

Acknowledge legitimacy of anger

Anger

Individual tends to shoot the messenger

Distinguish between feelings and inappropriate

behavior

Redirect the blame from the change agent to the

Individual withdraws from the team real reason necessitating the change (goals of the organization/business case)

Individual tries to cut a deal to spare himself or herself Bargaining Individual suggests other concerns to redirect problem solving away from change Individual expresses a loss of control over the work environment Depression Individuals absenteeism increases

Focus on how the individual or his/her team will

benefit from the change

Keep problem solving focused on the root cause

Provide a series of specific next steps and follow

up frequently

Reinforce positive actions the individual can take to

adjust to the change

Individual expresses ownership for solutions Acceptance Individual focuses on achieving benefits promised by the change

Use the individual as a coach or mentor for others Provide recognition for his/her efforts

Source: Enterprise Solutions Competency Center; Elizabeth Kubler-Ross; Corporate Leadership Council research.