Change is now a permanent feature of working life. Whether it’s a new system, a team restructure, a merger, or a shift in strategic direction, the pace and frequency of workplace change have never been higher. According to organisational change research (Burke, 2017), employees today face not just one change at a time but often several overlapping shifts, each demanding fresh mental, emotional and practical adjustments.
Yet for all its familiarity, change rarely feels easy. Even small changes can trigger feelings of uncertainty, frustration or resistance. So why does change, which is so common, often feel so hard to handle and what does the research say about how we can get better at adapting?
The human side of change: More than an event
Change in organisations is usually treated as an event: a new boss is hired, a team structure shifts, or a new technology is rolled out. But as William Bridges’ Transition Model (1991) famously clarifies, the true challenge is not the external event, it’s the internal psychological transition people must navigate.
Bridges describes three phases of transition:
- Ending: Letting go of the old way of working.
- Neutral Zone: Navigating the uncertainty and messiness of the in-between.
- New Beginning: Embracing new expectations and ways of working.
Neuroscience backs this up. Research by Arnsten (2009) shows that change and uncertainty activate the brain’s stress circuitry, particularly the amygdala, which can override the brain’s logical thinking areas, like the prefrontal cortex. This means that even rational, skilled professionals can find themselves anxious, distracted or resistant when facing unfamiliar demands.
The cost of poor adaptation
When organisations overlook the human side of change, people’s natural resistance can go underground, leading to passive pushback, morale dips or even burnout. Studies such as Kotter’s classic work on organisational change (1996) have repeatedly shown that most change efforts fail, not because the strategy is flawed but because people struggle to adapt and adopt new ways of thinking and working.
At an individual level, low adaptability has real costs too. Research by Pulakos et al. (2000) found that employees who build adaptability skills, mental flexibility, openness to new information and the ability to shift perspective, are better able to perform well under shifting demands and complexity.
Adaptability is a learnable skill
The encouraging news is that adaptability is not fixed, it can be developed. Studies on psychological capital (Luthans et al., 2006) and resilience show that employees can train themselves to become more adaptable by:
- Understanding and managing their stress responses,
- Building awareness of their habitual thinking patterns,
- Expanding their cognitive flexibility to consider different perspectives.
This is where Whole Brain® Thinking offers a practical, science-based approach.
How Whole Brain® Thinking supports adaptability
The Whole Brain® Thinking framework, based on the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®), shows us that each person has thinking preferences across four distinct quadrants:
- Analytical (A) — Focused on facts, logic, and data.
- Practical (B) — Process-oriented, detail-focused and structured.
- Relational (C) — People-focused, empathetic, and emotionally attuned.
- Experimental (D) — Big-picture, imaginative and future-oriented.
When change happens, most of us instinctively fall back into our dominant preferences. For example, a Practical thinker might cling to plans and processes, struggling when those are disrupted. A Relational thinker might fixate on how people are feeling but overlook the new data or facts. An Analytical thinker may obsess over needing more information and resist moving forward without total certainty.
Whole Brain® Thinking encourages people to step outside their habitual pattern, using all four quadrants to expand their perspective. Research on cognitive diversity (Page, 2007) supports this: teams and individuals who tap into multiple ways of thinking are better at solving complex, novel problems, the kind that come with rapid change.
Why awareness is the first step
Adapting well means first recognising your own frustration triggers and stress patterns. Studies show that when people increase self-awareness, they can break automatic reactions and consciously choose new, more effective responses (Goleman, 1995).
Once we understand what we tend to overuse or overlook in times of change, we can stretch into less-preferred modes. This helps us handle ambiguity, rethink assumptions and respond with greater agility.
Leading adaptability: A responsibility and a skill
Leaders play a powerful role in whether people adapt well or resist change. Research by McKinsey (2014) and Edmondson’s work on psychological safety remind us that people adapt better when they feel safe to share concerns, test new ideas and admit what they don’t know.
When leaders know their team members’ thinking preferences, they can communicate change in ways that resonate with different styles, data and evidence for Analytical thinkers, clear steps for Practical thinkers, open conversations for Relational thinkers, and vision for Experimental thinkers.
Your next step: Put research into practice
Understanding the science behind adaptation is powerful, but applying it is what helps you stay steady. Use Whole Brain® Thinking and your HBDI to navigate real changes in your work life. Change will keep coming. But with awareness and an expanded thinking toolkit, you can handle it with greater confidence, resilience and even optimism.
📚 References
- Bridges, W. (1991). Managing Transitions.
- Arnsten, A. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function.
- Kotter, J.P. (1996). Leading Change.
- Pulakos, E.D., et al. (2000). Adaptability in the workplace: Development of a taxonomy of adaptive performance.
- Luthans, F., et al. (2006). Psychological capital development: Toward a micro-intervention.
- Page, S.E. (2007). The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies.
- Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence.
- Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams.
- McKinsey & Company (2014). Change Leader, Change thy self
✅ Disclosure: This article was shaped using trusted AI tools and refined with care by the Herrmann team, combining research-backed insight with our expertise in Whole Brain® Thinking so you can adapt and thrive.
