Whether we are adopting a new IT system at work or starting a fitness program after years of sedentary living, we must all move through the same five phases of change before we are firmly settled into the new steady state. These stages are often referred to as the change continuum.

Managing organizational change successfully is about facilitating each person’s transition through each of these stages. As you will see from the diagram below – and as you have probably observed from your own experiences with change -- we don’t move through the continuum in a predictable, linear way. It’s more like a very individualized dance, where we take a few steps forward, then a couple back.

Effective change management helps individuals take more steps forward than backward on the continuum.

The Change Continuum

Phase 1 – Head Low

• Does not recognize need for change
• Defends the status quo
• Attributes problems to external forces
• Does not see the change as something that will affect them

Phase 2 –Agreement/"Buy In"

• Recognizes the need for change
• Looks to understand advantages, disadvantages and benefits
• Gathers information – what will it mean for me?
• Recognizes change as inevitable
• Will still defend the current state
• Still experiences high levels of uncertainty

Phase 3 –Discovery

• Intends to make the change
• Explores strategies for change
• Begins setting goals
• Begins to be open to advice, recommendations
• Willing to try it out
• Looking forward

Phase 4 – Implementation

• Adopts behaviours, activities consistent with the change
• Receptive to training
• Change becomes real
• Seeks support and reinforcement

Phase 5 – New Steady State

• Change is internalized – adoption of behaviours, activities, attitude of desired outcome
• No desire to return to old system

Everyone goes through the 5 phases of the change continuum

The idea of the change continuum is based in decades of research into human behaviour, organizational development and change science. There are a variety of models and descriptions of the change continuum out there, but it is less important which model you choose to identify with, and more so that you know that moving through the continuum is inherent to the way humans deal with any type of change.

That means every individual in the organization must move through the continuum – from the CEO right on through to middle management, supervisors and front line employees.

Knowing this and understanding how to work with people at the different stages of the continuum will help you get significantly better results from your change initiatives. 

Food for thought:

If you’re the CEO or a senior leader in your organization, your first awareness of the need for change might come when you learn that a major competitor is expanding into your market. What does your journey across the change continuum look like?

If you’re a middle manager of line staff member in your organization, your first awareness of the need for change might come when your CEO announces the changes he or she has identified as the solution to the competitor’s entry into your marketplace. What does your journey across the change continuum look like? How does your experience differ from the CEO’s experience?

Read more about what you might see and experience as you or the people in your organization move through the phases of change: Common Reactions to Change

If you would like to learn more about the change continuum and how to use it to help you get better results from your change initiatives, Turner Change Management can help. Contact us.

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