CBS Change Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which stage of Bridges' Transition Model is characterized by confusion, fear, and low productivity?
- The New Beginning
- The Neutral Zone (Correct answer)
- The Ending
- The Integration Phase
Correct answer: The Neutral Zone
The Neutral Zone is the uncomfortable in-between period after letting go of the old but before fully embracing the new, marked by uncertainty and reduced performance.
Question 2: When applying Kotter's 8-step model, which step directly follows 'creating a guiding coalition'?
- Generating short-term wins
- Developing a change vision (Correct answer)
- Anchoring changes in culture
- Communicating the vision
Correct answer: Developing a change vision
After forming the guiding coalition, Kotter's model calls for developing a clear, compelling change vision to direct the effort.
Question 3: A CEO sponsors a change initiative but delegates all communication to middle managers. This approach risks:
- Over-communication of the change message
- Loss of executive credibility and diluted urgency (Correct answer)
- Too much employee involvement
- Rapid adoption by all stakeholder groups
Correct answer: Loss of executive credibility and diluted urgency
Visible executive sponsorship is critical; delegating all communication signals low priority and undermines the urgency needed for successful change.
Question 4: Which change management approach is most appropriate for an organization facing a sudden external crisis requiring immediate restructuring?
- Participative change
- Directive change (Correct answer)
- Collaborative change
- Emergent change
Correct answer: Directive change
Directive change, driven by authority and urgency, is most effective when speed is critical and there is no time for extensive consultation.
Question 5: The primary purpose of a change impact assessment is to:
- Calculate the financial ROI of the change
- Identify which groups will be affected and how severely (Correct answer)
- Select the change management methodology
- Determine the project timeline
Correct answer: Identify which groups will be affected and how severely
A change impact assessment maps which stakeholder groups face the greatest disruption, enabling targeted support and communication strategies.
Question 6: Which psychological concept explains why employees often resist change even when it is clearly beneficial to them?
- Confirmation bias
- Loss aversion (Correct answer)
- Optimism bias
- Anchoring effect
Correct answer: Loss aversion
Loss aversion causes people to weigh potential losses more heavily than equivalent gains, making even beneficial changes feel threatening.
Question 7: In change management, 'snowball communication' refers to:
- Withholding change news until implementation begins
- Cascading key messages through organizational levels in waves (Correct answer)
- Sending mass email announcements simultaneously
- Communicating only with senior leaders
Correct answer: Cascading key messages through organizational levels in waves
Snowball communication cascades messages from senior leaders downward through management levels, building momentum and consistent messaging at each tier.
CBS Change Management 3
Which stage of Bridges' Transition Model is characterized by confusion, fear, and low productivity?