The Change Cycle

The RACI Change Cycle is a key communication tool to stakeholders impacted by major change and looks very similar to the well known Elisabeth Kübler-Ross grief model

The cycle consists of 7 stages

1: Innovation trigger - the realisation that change is required which will impact a team whether in a department or across an organisation

2: Excitement - On announcement of the trigger the overall emotion will be excitement, noting that there will be pockets of fear and fence sitting.

3: Peak of inflated expectation - Expectations of the innovation will be inflated "all of our problems will be solved"

4: Doubt & Confusion - This is where fear sets in and the need for regular communication.

5: Trough of Disillusionment - All levels of management need to stay "Above the Line" or at Cause. The better your management is at projecting a unified above the line culture the less the impact of this stage.

6: Slope of enlightenment - The realisation across the organisation that the change is working and that there is nothing to fear.

7: Plateau of Productivity - This is where the change is mostly complete and stakeholders are embracing the change and productivity and the efficiencies created are realised.

Key takeaways

How the change and Above the line strategies are communicated greatly impact the outcome of any change initiative and are not to be taken lightly.

Above the Line model in a change project

Keeping it above the line reduces the impact and depth of the :Trough of disillusionment