Stages of Death and Dying as Guides to Leading Organizational aqnd Personal Changes

Today, your humble servant here attended the Rotary Club here in Crystal River, Florida.  During lunch he sat next to a social worker whose focus is helping cancer patients.  In other words, she deals with death and dying.  I look forward to visiting more with her about her work.  Meanwhile, her job reminded me of Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross, M.D., who write a classic study entitled On Death and  Dying. In it she observed that persons facing death typically move through the following phases:  1. Denial  2. Anger  3. Bargaining  4.  Acceptance.  In the past, when I have taught change management, we have applied her model to OD.  1.  Denial - There is no need to change anything around here.  Everything is okay.  2.  Anger - Why must I give up old habits and learn new habits?  This OD person is really a pain.  3.  Bargaining - Okay, we can do some of what you want, OD specialist; let's tailor it to include my wants, needs, fears.  4.  Acceptance - Okay, if we must learn how to use computers instead of pencils and paper let's go forward.  You get the idea.  OD specialists have pointed out that organizational change exhibits the same dynamics as does "death and dying" as this study reveals.  I want to share this with you as a "value added" insight into OD and change management.  My brief visit with the social worker Rotarian today reminded me of this classic frame for analysis.  Reflect on its validity, reliability, given your own frontline experiences with change.  Thanks.  Dr. Rux