Understanding The Stages of Learning During Change ( Change Management Foundation Microlesson )

Every organisational shift requires individuals to learn new skills, adopt new processes, and even embrace new mindsets. But how do we actually absorb change? This Microlesson breaks down the predictable stages of learning that every person moves through when facing organisational change.

Discover how to:

• Identify where your team members are on the change curve (e.g., Denial, Resistance, Exploration, Commitment).
• Tailor your communication and support strategies to address the specific needs and emotions at each stage.
• Move beyond resistance and foster genuine commitment and integration of the change.
• Apply key Change Management Foundation principles to help individuals and teams accelerate their learning journey and achieve sustainable results.

This is essential listening for change practitioners, project managers, and leaders who want to minimise friction and maximise adoption during any transformation. 

Transcript

Welcome back to Training Bitesize, the podcast that breaks down big ideas into small actionable insights. Today we're talking about a crucial part of any change initiative, the learner's journey. Whether you're leading a team or navigating a change yourself, understanding the stages of learning can make all the difference. Let's begin by recognising the process people go through when learning something new. 

A really useful model for this is the conscious competence learning model.  It's a simple framework that describes the four stages a learner goes through, and it's particularly relevant in a change situation. In a change situation, the process often begins with unconscious incompetence.  This is where we are in our old business-as-usual world. We don't know what we don't know. We're unaware of the skills and knowledge needed for the new way of working. 

Then the change happens. A new system is introduced, a new process is announced, and suddenly we are plunged into conscious incompetence. This is the stage where we become painfully aware of how much we don't know. The fear of failure is most acute here, and it can feel like past learning anxieties are coming back to haunt us. Think about learning to drive. Before you start, you're unconsciously incompetent. You see everyone driving and think, that looks easy. You're completely unaware of the complexity. 

Then you have your first lesson, and bam! You're in conscious incompetence. You're suddenly very aware of how difficult, scary and tiring it is, and you might wonder if you'll ever get the hang of it. This stage is where learners, especially in a work context, might want to give up and go back to the old way of doing things. Public transport wasn't that bad after all, you might think. 

But if you keep going, you move into the third stage,  conscious competence. This is where you know how to do the new task, but it requires active, deliberate thought. With driving, you've passed your test, but you still have to actively think about every single move. You might take longer to get to places because you're being cautious, or you might park in a space that's further away to avoid a tight spot. In the workplace, this is when tasks might take longer as you navigate the new process. You might question if it's even worth it because you feel less efficient. 

Finally, with continued practise, you reach the last stage, unconscious competence. This is where the skill becomes second nature. With driving, this is when you get to your destination and think, I don't even remember getting here. The new way of working has become an automatic habit. It's important to understand this model because the two middle stages, conscious incompetence and conscious competence, are where learners are most likely to want to give up. They're tiring, they're frustrating, and they can make people question the value of the change. As leaders and colleagues, recognising these stages allows us to provide the right support and encouragement. By being patient and empathetic, we can help people through the anxiety of the middle phases and guide them toward a place where the new way of working feels just as natural as the old.