Change Management

Change Management

Change surrounds us. We experience change in every aspect of our lives – at work, at home, in the community, and beyond. Change is situational and external to us – something old stops and something new begins. How we adapt to a specific change is our transition. Personal transitions to change are less defined with no clear start or stop.

One way of framing our transition to change is the “change curve” or “transition curve.” Transitions typically include three distinct phases: the ending, the neutral zone, and a new beginning. Our personal transition to change begins with the “loss” of the way things have been, progresses by identifying our attitudes, thoughts, and feelings, and continues as we take positive action to move through our transition.

This site is designed to help individuals and leaders in navigating change with confidence. Here, you’ll discover practical tools and resources for any type of change, strengthen your capacity to adapt and thrive during transitions, and access targeted support for campus-wide initiatives.

Start Here

These tools and resources are designed to support both individuals and leaders through any change journey. Resources for Individuals help you manage your personal experience with change – whether you are an individual contributor or a people leader navigating your own transition. Resources for Teams are tailored to support people leaders as they guide their teams through change with clarity and confidence.

Every transition is unique – shaped by the nature of the change and the individual experiencing it. Not every tool is relevant to every situation, and that’s okay! These resources are designed to be practical and tactical, so you can put them to use right away. They include activities, webinars, podcasts, videos, articles, and more – giving you the flexibility to choose what works best for you and your team.

Individual Transitions to Change

These tools are here to support your personal transition—whether it’s happening at work, at home, or anywhere in between. Your journey begins from where you are right now—not from where you wish you were, where you think you should be, or where others expect you to be. Your journey continues until you’ve fully moved from the old way of doing things to the new.

The individual tools are designed for both individual contributors and people leaders. As a leader, you’re often managing your own transition while also guiding your team through theirs. Taking time to navigate your own experience with change can better equip and empower you to lead others with empathy and clarity.

Just-in-Time Training!

Quick, focused learning available on LinkedIn Learning to prepare for and respond to change in real time

Tool Kit

Hands-on tools and exercises to help you reflect, plan, and take action during your change journey

Ideas in Action

Curated articles and videos to deepen your understanding and spark new ideas

Leading Your Team Through Change

These tools are designed to support people leaders as they guide their teams through change. It’s natural for individuals to experience a temporary dip productivity, performance, and engagement as they adapt. As a change leader, you can take intentional steps to ease that disruption and support your team as they move through their transition with clarity and confidence.

Just-in-Time Training!

Quick, focused learning available on LinkedIn Learning to prepare you to lead change

Tool Kit

Practical exercises and templates to use with your team

Ideas in Action

Building Change Readiness

This collection of resources is designed to help you strengthen your change readiness at any time, so you’re better equipped when change arises. Deepen your understanding and broaden your perspective by exploring the tools and connections available here.

Employee Engagement
The Employee Engagement team fosters a workplace culture where employees feel a strong sense of belonging, recognition, and well-being. By cultivating high engagement, the team helps employees stay connected, motivated, and adaptable—key qualities for navigating and sustaining organizational change. Visit Employee Engagement to learn more!

Learning & Development
Learning & Development offers personalized consultations to assess your learning needs and create tailored solutions aligned with your goals. Change-related sessions include Positive Team Dynamics and Your Personal Orientation to Change. Visit Learning & Development to learn more!

Organizational Design & Effectiveness (OD&E)
OD&E partners with leaders to shape environments where all employees can contribute their unique strengths to our shared mission. The team provides change management support focused on organizational design, operating models, and alignment strategies. Submit a request to the OD&E team.

Campus and USG Resources

Georgia Tech Strategic Consulting – Organizational Culture, Readiness and Change
Georgia Tech Strategic Consulting (GTSC) is an internal consulting team dedicated to driving success through strategic insights, operational excellence, and transformative change. Their services include support for organizational culture, change readiness, and change management. Visit GTSC to learn more.

University System of Georgia – Great Basics Series
USG Great Basics is a virtual workshop series created for USG employees to build and strengthen leadership skills. Whether you’re leading yourself or leading others, each session offers practical, relevant content you can apply right away. Topics cover a wide range of leadership essentials to support your growth at every stage. Explore USG Great Basics.

We’ve curated a list of external resources to support the Georgia Tech community in effectively navigating change and transitions. These materials offer insights, strategies, and inspiration for personal and professional growth.

Books

Any titles may be available digitally through the Georgia Tech Library.

Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard to Imagine Results in Uncertain and Volatile Times

John Kotter, Vanessa Akhtar, Gaurav Gupta
From the “Father of Change,” John Kotter, this book explores the emerging science of change and how organizations can become more agile and responsive in uncertain times.

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen
A practical guide from the Harvard Negotiation Project offering a step-by-step approach to handling tough conversations with less stress and more success.

Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change

William Bridges
A foundational guide for people leaders, this book outlines strategies for minimizing disruption and guiding teams through the human side of change.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Drawing from psychology and sociology, the Heath brothers provide actionable tools and insights for making change stick.

Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes

William Bridges
Bridges’ original work on the universal patterns of transition, exploring how individuals navigate change across all areas of life—personal, professional, and beyond.