Many successful campaigns focus on uncovering hidden costs. But identifying these costs often requires one critical thing: change.
And the real challenge isn’t just making the change — it’s how effectively your team adapts to it.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross demonstrated that people move through predictable emotional stages during change — not only in grief, but in business environments as well.
In HSQE environments, this is a daily reality.
New systems. New processes. New compliance requirements.
And almost always, performance dips before it improves.
Not because your team is resistant — but because they are human.
Typically, teams move through stages such as:
- Denial
- Frustration
- Uncertainty
- Exploration
- Acceptance
Most organisations get stuck in the dip — the point where productivity declines, safety risks increase, and momentum is lost.
High-performing organisations take a different approach.
They anticipate the curve and lead their teams through it.
They focus on:
- Maintaining stability during disruption
- Reducing risk during uncertainty
- Accelerating adoption of change
Change is inevitable. Poorly managed change is not.
If you’re currently leading change and noticing a drop in performance, it’s important to recognise that this isn’t random — it’s predictable.
The real question is:
Are you managing the curve, or reacting to it?
This article references the Kübler-Ross Change Curve and insights from Prosci’s change management research.
