Clayton’s Change Curve describes the typical emotional-cognitive journey individuals and teams undergo during organizational change. The model was developed by Dr. Mike Clayton, adapting psychological transition models (such as the Kübler-Ross curve) for organizational settings. It consists of a sequence of phases (Denial → Reaction → Resistance → Discovery (aka Exploration) → Acceptance → Commitment), and features two axes (Emotional Focus vs. Rational Focus) as well as a distinction between a negative zone and a positive zone of change.
The provided image (see figure) visualizes this: the process begins in Denial, drops through Reaction and Resistance, turns in Discovery (Exploration), then climbs through Acceptance to Commitment. Early emotions such as Anger, Frustration, Sadness, and Resentment are explicitly indicated.
Origin and Purpose
Clayton created the Change Curve to give leaders and change agents a usable framework for understanding and guiding the human side of change. Its lineage includes models like the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, Bridges’ Transition Model, and the Satir Change Model, but it differs in its clear quadrant structure (Emotional/Rational Focus × Negative/Positive Stage), its defined phase sequence, and its consistent connection of emotional and rational dimensions throughout the process.
Its main purposes are:
- Providing orientation so that emotional and cognitive responses are recognized early and respected.
- Enabling proper timing of interventions—knowing what kind of communication or support is needed in each phase.
- Targeted interventions—dialogue, space for experimentation, loss-management, decision clarity when needed.
Core Elements and Phases
- Denial – initial disbelief or minimization; “this won’t affect me.”
- Reaction – strong emotional responses: anger, frustration, sadness, resentment.
- Resistance – passive or active resistance, performance drop, relational tension.
- Discovery (Exploration) – emergence of learning, small wins, new possibilities.
- Acceptance – realistic understanding, growing belief that change can work.
- Commitment – genuine buy-in, active participation, internal motivation.
The axes Emotional vs. Rational focus shift through the phases, and the transition from the negative to the positive zone marks performance and morale rising.
Application & Good Practice
- Diagnose early: use listening sessions, culture surveys, feedback channels to detect Denial or Resistance.
- Phase-appropriate communication: meaningful narratives early, data and structure later.
- Participation / co-creation: engaging people early, making losses and benefits visible.
- Leadership with emotional and behavioral depth.
- Use of leading and lagging indicators to measure both response and results.
Practice Examples
A digital platform rollout that stumbled initially due to denial and resistance, but regained momentum through pilot tests, open dialogue, and visible small successes.
An agile reorganization that achieved full buy-in only after exploration (via cross-team pilots) and granting autonomy to teams, with management adjusting roles and feedback rituals.
Criticism & Limitations
- It’s a heuristic, not a strict law—individuals and groups move at different paces, often retreat, skip, or repeat phases.
- Risk of labeling people (“You are still in Resistance”) which can demotivate or close off dialogue.
- Emotionally-driven phases are hard to measure reliably.
- Cultural and contextual differences modify how phases are expressed; what counts as Resistance in one culture may be Acceptance in another.
Integration with Established Approaches
Clayton’s Change Curve integrates well with frameworks like Living Transformation®, Living Strategy, Change Fatigue, psychological safety, and the use of leading and lagging indicators. These support understanding of behavior, pace, and readiness in change initiatives.
CALADE Perspective
At CALADE, the Change Curve is not a poster—it’s a roadmap. We emphasize early sense-making, open listening, designing pilot experiments for Discovery, continuity in measurement, and anchoring commitment through capability building and visible change. We treat resistance as signal rather than obstacle, and structure both emotional support and rational clarity into each phase.
Related Terms
- Psychological Safety
- Kotter’s 8-Step Model
- Dual Operating System
- Leading & Lagging Indicators
- Organizational Debt
- Organisationskultur
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