By Ashley Helms

You're leading your organization through a transition to a new knowledge management platform. A few team members express excitement. Most stay quiet. Finally, one vocal employee chimes in: "We’ve tried this before—it won’t work." You feel the tension rise. So, what do you do next?

This is the moment where theory collides with practice. Understanding where people are in their change journey is just part of the equation. The real challenge is knowing how to meet them where they are and guiding them forward.

Introduction

Today’s leaders are faced with having to make more frequent and complex changes than ever before. In a survey of over 1,000 executives and project management professionals, 85% of respondents said their organizations had experienced a major increase in change projects over the last few years.[1] But even the most well-planned change initiatives often run into a familiar wall: resistance.

Despite a surge in organizational change over the past few years, employees have become more resistant to it. According to a recent Gartner survey, 74% of employees were willing to support organizational changes in 2016; six years later, only 38% say the same.

An individual’s resistance to change doesn’t necessarily signify their opposition to progress. In fact, resistance is a common and natural response to change. Psychologically, it stems from the uncertainty of letting go of what an individual knows, a phenomenon known as the “Mere Exposure Effect.” Most people tend to favor what is already familiar to them,[3] which can make them less open to new ideas or approaches. As a result, adapting to something new can feel uncomfortable—even frightening. With this in mind, always expect some level of resistance when introducing a change, regardless of its potential benefits.

Even the strongest change initiatives can falter if people aren’t ready to embrace the change. For leaders, this means that successful change management isn't just about delivering the right solution or instructing people to follow it. It’s about effectively supporting, guiding, and preparing people to be ready for that solution.

Like a suit that doesn’t fit, even the best strategy won’t work if it’s not tailored for the people who’ll wear it.

Change Frameworks

Understanding where individuals are in their change journey allows leaders to pinpoint the roots of their resistance and offer the right kind of support at each part of their transition. To turn this understanding into action, we’ve combined two foundational models—Everett Rogers’ Innovation Adoption Curve (based on the Diffusions of Innovations Theory[4]) and William Bridges’ Transition Model[5]—into a practical tool: the Change Readiness Playbook. This tool can help leaders identify an individual’s mindset and level of emotional readiness so they can take informed, strategic action.

Bridges’ Transition Model Overview:

Before jumping into the playbook, let’s review the Bridges’ Transition Model’s three psychological stages of an individual’s experience when navigating change.

Endings (Stage 1): The introduction of the change often triggers this initial stage, which is typically characterized by strong resistance. Individuals in this stage feel as if they are losing something and being forced to let go of their familiar routines and values, often causing productivity to decline.

The Neutral Zone (Stage 2): This is a transitional “limbo” stage where individuals may hold onto what is familiar while the change is not yet fully implemented or operational. Individuals in this stage often feel confused and uncertain about what to do next, leading to stagnant productivity. At this stage, individuals may respond in a variety of ways. Depending on how leaders implement and guide the change with their teams, some individuals embrace new beginnings and commit to the change, while others continue to resist through disengagement or active pushback.

New Beginnings (Stage 3): This final stage is marked by acceptance as individuals start to embrace the change, increasing productivity and adopting new behaviors, attitudes, and identities. However, resistance can still surface during this phase as individuals continue to stabilize and adjust to their “new normal.”

The Change Readiness Playbook

Pro Tip: Don’t try to “convert” everyone at once. Individuals adopt change at different rates, and their willingness often depends on situational factors such as ability and motivation, which can vary over time, unlike fixed personality traits.[6] Focus first on Early Adopters, who are typically more ready and able to engage. Once convinced, they become some of the strongest advocates who help bridge the Innovators and the Early Majority.

Persona	Who They Are	Bridges’ Emotional Stage	What They Need	Leader Action
Innovators	Risk-takers that proactively seek out change and excitedly introduce and encourage others to do the same.	New Beginnings	Autonomy, involvement	Let them come to you. Invite them to co-create and be champions of the change (by helping mobilize others in the workforce).
Early Adopters	Opinion leaders who ask questions early and evaluate change efforts based on the level of difficulty to learn it, its ability to be tested, and its potential for reinvention.	Neutral Zone → New Beginnings	Clarity, influence	Proactively invest early and often. Offer early access, ask for feedback, incorporate their ideas, and spotlight their wins. Reiterate “why” the change matters and provide all known information about what they will gain from the effort.
Early Majority	Pragmatists who take time to make decisions and will only join once convinced by others, and once the early adopters have successfully tried it first.	Neutral Zone	Proof, reassurance	Do not immediately engage. Share success stories from peers and provide structured training.
Late Majority	Skeptics who are more resistant to change but are responsive to peer pressure. They will use the change once it is widely used and thoroughly tested.	Endings → Neutral Zone	Safety, peer validation	Use peer advocates, reduce ambiguity, and avoid pressure.
Laggards	Extreme resistors to change who may only adopt change out of compliance.	Endings	Stability, control	Avoid targeting efforts. Limit disruption, offer opt-in paths, and avoid over-engagement. Acknowledge their feedback to surface potential risks, but do not prioritize this—only do so if it does not derail your focus. Direct attention and efforts instead on Early Adopters.