Is the Change Curve Model Real?
Is the Change Curve Model Real?
The Change Curve model is real, but it is usually taken out of context and applied to situations for which it is not designed to operate.
The Change Curve is based on a model originally developed in the 1960s by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross as a psychological-medical way to explain the grieving process.
It was not designed nor intended to be a model to describe organisational change.
The Kubler-Ross Change Curve
This Change Curve describes the process that people go through when they are informed of bad news, such as the contraction of a terminal illness.
The five stages of the Kubler-Ross Change (grieving) process are:
Denial: which is the initial refusal to accept the news as true.
Anger: which is the negative emotional response when people finally accept the bad news is true.
Bargaining: which is when people try to negotiate a way out of the bad news by creating "if / then" hypothetical questions:
- "If I were to stop smoking, then would that fix it?"
- "If I were to go on a detox diet, then would that fix it?"
Depression: which is when the truth is recognised as inevitable and there is no escape.
Acceptance: which is when people come to terms with the reality of the situation and they decide to live with knowledge of the bad news.
Is the Kubler-Ross Change Curve model suitable for use as an Organisational Change model?
No, not really.
Whenever a concept is taken out of context, then it is not an effective tool to understand the reality of the situation and therefore how to respond to it.
It may be true that the Kubler-Ross model may be taken as a metaphor to understand the emotional stages that SOME people MIGHT experience, when they are told that changes are being imposed upon them. However, to use a model designed to explain the grieving process as a tool to understand organisational change is, at best, only a guide, and at worst, a misconception.
There are better models to understand how to manage organisational change.
Organisational Change Training
Our Change Management training course is recommended for anyone wanting to know more about organisational change and learn how to use change to their advantage.
Definition: Kubler-Ross Change Curve
The Kubler-Ross Change Curve is a psychological model that shows how people react to bad news. It maps five linked feelings-denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance-that a person moves through when facing certain loss. The curve starts with refusal and ends with calm acceptance, follows a set order, and comes from Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s work in the 1960s.
Show CG4D Definition
- Charts five fixed emotional stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance
- Applies to individual response to unavoidable loss or terminal prognosis
- Presents stages in a set sequence, though timing varies per person
- Created by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in 1960s clinical research on grief
Article Summary
The Change Curve is real, yet it maps grief, not business; leaders who force it on workplace change see only one in three plans succeed, but those who set clear aims, involve the team and build skills almost double success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
Why was the change curve created in the first place?
What are the five stages in the Kubler-Ross model?
Does everyone move through the stages in the same order?
Why does the change curve fail in workplace change?
How can leaders spot misuse of the change curve?
What makes grief different from organisational change?
Which models guide team change better than the change curve?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
McKinsey’s 2022 Global Survey on transformation shows only 34% of change programmes fully meet their goals, yet the success rate rises to 58% when firms use a structured change-management framework. The CIPD Learning and Skills at Work 2024 report finds that 62% of UK HR leaders intend to upskill managers in change management this year, up from 45% in 2022.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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Further Reading in Change Management
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Learning by Experience
Learn how learning from experience and watching others helps you break bad habits, sharpen time management, and spark continuous improvement for lasting growth.
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Managing Negative Attitudes To Change
Master change management by guiding staff talk. Shift chat from fear and nostalgia to facts and future plans, cut resistance and speed your team's progress.
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Management training: Continuous improvement cycle
Boost team output with management training that teaches the six step continuous improvement cycle: set goals, plan, act, get feedback, adjust and repeat.
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Why do people resist change?
People resist change because habits feel safe and uncertainty risky. Learn why we cling to familiar ways and gain steps to build new habits and embrace change.
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A New Vision for Britain
Discover why effective change management is vital for post-Brexit Britain and learn practical skills, steps and tools to help leaders and teams thrive today.
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Looking for Change Management Training?
If you're looking to develop your Change Management Skills, you may find this Change Management Training Course beneficial:
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