Leading Change – Beyond Damage Control

Both in transformation assignments and in training workshops, I often use the Kübler-Ross Change Curve. It’s a simple yet powerful framework that helps me recognise the emotional journey people go through during change — and therefore understand what is needed to lead change, rather than just manage its side effects.

When you look at the Change Curve, it shows that while the process can be complex and cyclical, every stage is part of an ongoing journey toward acceptance and adaptation.

Kübler-Ross Change Curve®

Shock and Denial

Many colleagues experience initial shock: disbelief, confusion, or numbness. It’s not uncommon to hear things like:

“This can’t be happening. What now?”

This reaction is deeply human. Our brains need time to absorb a new reality. 

Denial often follows — it’s our mind’s way of protecting us from emotional overload. People may act as if nothing has changed, or cling to the hope that things will go back to how they were.

Frustration

As reality sinks in, frustration often surfaces. This is when irritation, anger, or resistance appear; not because people are difficult, but because they’re trying to make sense of disruption. If you listen closely, frustration always hides a question:

Why is this happening? What does it mean for me?

That question is gold; it shows that people are engaging with the change. It’s the moment clarity starts to emerge.

Sadness and Letting Go

Depression or sadness may appear more than once throughout the journey. It’s the stage where people begin to feel the real weight of what’s lost — routines, relationships, confidence. 

These emotions don’t mean failure; they’re part of how people make meaning and move forward.

Experimentation and Learning

Then comes the turning point. People start to experiment: testing new ways of working, thinking, and relating. It’s a stage of trial and error — small steps, tentative optimism, moments of “maybe this could work.” 

Experimentation often overlaps with frustration and sadness; real change is rarely linear.

Integration

Finally, integration happens. This is where the new reality starts to feel familiar, even comfortable. New routines form, confidence returns, and energy can shift from coping to contributing again. But integration doesn’t mean the emotions disappear. People may still revisit earlier stages as they continue to reconcile the past with the present.

Change is not just about systems or structures, but about people finding their way through uncertainty.

For leaders

As a manager, you don’t just need to know what will change. You need to understand how it will land. When you recognise where people are on the curve — and respond appropriately to each stage — you lead change in a more credible, human and sustainable way. You’ll feel more in control, even in the midst of uncertainty. You’ll see some colleagues move forward sooner and help bring others along with them.

Change is not a process to manage, but a human experience to lead

In reality, colleagues move back and forth along the curve. 

In reality, social dynamics amongst colleagues also influence how people react to change.

In reality, colleagues show different levels in personal resilience.

In reality, also time shapes the experience. 

That's why in assignments and trainings, I not only use the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, but also include Social Network Analysis and Resilience frameworks and tips.

That’s why I love transformation work so much :-).