It's clear — recurring change is the norm in organizational life today. Still, most of us have difficulty dealing with it. Experts in the field of change management, Drs. Jaffe and Scott describe change as a natural progression through 4 phases. To successfully master change, individuals must pass through all 4 phases: Denial, Resistance, Exploration, and Commitment. Mastering the Change Curve uncovers individual reactions to change and provides an understanding of how behavior affects success.

Learning Outcomes

• Pinpoint one’s current stage in the change process
• Understand the 4 phases of change
• Identify productive and nonproductive change behaviors
• Develop a strategy for mastering change

Theory

Drs. Jaffe and Scott are experts in the field of change management. The authors describe change as natural progression through a series of four phases: Denial, Resistance, Exploration, and Commitment. To successfully deal with change, employees must pass through all 4 phases.

The Change Curve Model is based on the following principles of change:

• Change is an ongoing process rather than an event.
• There is a progressive sequence of change behaviors that needs to be experienced and mastered to be effective in handling change.
• Seemingly negative behaviors such as denial, apprehension, anger, and resistance, are normal and adaptive elements in the change process.
• There are specific strategies available to increase change mastery.
• The progression through the phases of change represents an opportunity for growth and responsible risk taking.