Understanding the behaviors experienced by individuals during an organizational change effort: A Delphi analysis utilizing the five-stage grieving model

The author investigated the relationship between the behaviors experienced during an organizational change and the five stage grieving model. An expert panel of 20 individuals ranging in expertise from a PhD in Organization Management to hands-on experience was surveyed. Two rounds of surveys were initiated based on the Delphi methodology. Using a 60% consensus rate, the expert panel was asked to gain consensus mapping a list of identified behaviors to the five stages of the grieving process. Results show a distinct list of behaviors associated with each stage, which managers can use to mitigate the resistance to organizational change.