Organizations are constantly changing, and it is the leader’s role to help manage the change process.   There are four main stages that employees go through when change occurs:

• Shock or denial – This isn’t really happening/it doesn’t affect me.
• Anger or fear – Why do we need to change? What if I can’t do my job now? Management doesn’t really know our business.
• Acceptance – Maybe this won’t be so bad. I will do what I have to do to keep my job.
• Commitment – This new way works better. I forget how we used to do it.

Identify a recent change at work, briefly describe the change and discuss how you or someone you supervise dealt with the change using these four stages (not everyone gets through all four).