Change fails when organisations focus on the process and forget the people. Every change initiative, whether a restructure, system overhaul, cultural shift or new leadership, triggers a psychological loss response in the people going through it. Until you address that loss, the change will not stick. This is what Change Intelligence is built on.
Change Intelligence is the application of emotional intelligence to organisational change. It is a framework developed by Amy Jacobson that gives leaders and teams a structured, human-centred way to move through change, not just survive it, but drive it.
I recall delivering a workshop 2 years ago where we touched on the amount of change that is happening in our current environment. A man from the audience asked me “Hasn’t change always been around, Amy?”.
Yes, change has always been around however the size and extent of the change has increased dramatically due to the amazing technology that we have today. The majority of change in the past might have been a small change to the step in a process and major changes were the minority.
Some of our most common fears are ‘fear of the unknown’ and ‘fear of loss of control’.
Change challenges both of these fears as we take ourselves out of our comfort zone, learn new ways of doing things and at times, rewire our brain relating to our actions, emotional drivers and outcomes.
The most effective way to implement change or to support others going through change, is to leverage our E.I. skills to understand what each person’s emotional driver is and at what stage of the mindset disrupt process they are at. Change is only effective when people buy in to the change and own it in their subconscious mind.
The mindset disrupt process is made up of 5 parts: Own It, Face It, Feel It, Ask It and Drive It. These also happen to be the 5 factors of E.I. When any change or unexpected circumstance occurs, our mind moves through these 5 parts with the speed differing for each person. Some people can move through the parts in a matter of hours where others might take months or may struggle to ever make it to part 5. Others might find themselves being pulled back to earlier parts due to self-doubt or a new occurrence.
Let’s focus on the 3 stages to implementing change that helps us to own it in our subconscious mind.
- Stage 1: Own the Loss and Face the Emotions
Before anyone can embrace change, they need to process what they are losing. This stage is about creating the space for people to acknowledge the loss, feel the emotions that come with it and get real closure. Leaders who skip this stage and push straight to action will face resistance, disengagement and quiet quitting. You cannot Drive It until people have been allowed to Own It and Face It.
- Stage 2: Feel and Ask Your Way Though the Liminal
The liminal space is the messy middle: the old way is gone but the new way is not yet normal. This is where most change initiatives fall apart. Stage 2 is about providing real support and direction, having the difficult conversations that nobody wants to have, and maintaining ongoing transparency. People do not need false positivity. They need honesty and they need to feel heard.
- Stage 3: Drive the Change Life a Champion
Only once stages 1 and 2 are genuinely worked through can you move to sustained action. Stage 3 is about execution, but people-first execution. The project plan matters, but the people driving it matter more. Involve your team in the process, give them genuine ownership and you will not need to push. They will drive it themselves.
Change will always be here and it will continue to grow and challenge the way our mind works. If we, or others, are finding it difficult to accept any change, there is a disconnect between the change and our emotional drivers.
Hit pause and realign the purpose, the ‘why’ and communicate through information.
Frequently Asked Questions: Change Intelligence and EI
What is Change Intelligence?
Change Intelligence is the application of emotional intelligence to organisational change. It is a framework developed by Amy Jacobson that recognises change as a psychological process, not just a project management one. It gives leaders a structured way to move their people through change by addressing the emotional reality of loss, transition and new beginnings.
Why do most change initiatives fail?
Because they focus on the process and skip the people. Research consistently shows that the majority of organisational change initiatives fail to meet their goals, and the primary reason is a failure to address the human, emotional side of change. People resist what they have not been given the chance to process.
Can you skip straight to the action stage of change?
No. The Change Intelligence Framework is sequential for a reason. You cannot Drive the Change until people have been through Stage 1 (owning and facing the loss) and Stage 2 (the liminal transition). Skipping stages creates the illusion of change while resentment builds underneath.
What is the difference between change management and Change Intelligence?
Traditional change management focuses on process, timeline and deliverables. Change Intelligence focuses on the psychological and emotional journey that people go through during change, and gives leaders the EI tools to support that journey. The two are not mutually exclusive. Change Intelligence makes your change management work.
How do I bring Change Intelligence into my organisation?
Amy Jacobson delivers the Change Intelligence System as a keynote and as a full program. Contact amy@amyjacobson.com.au to discuss what is right for your organisation.
