Understanding Bridges’ Three Phases of Transition

👤 Authored by Lashmi Bai Ravindrapandian
📅 Published on Jul 7, 2025

A new system is launched. A new process is announced. Maybe the organization restructures, adopts AI, or moves to a different way of working.

The change team says, “We have successfully implemented new process/technology”.

But a few weeks later…

• People are still using the old process.
• Teams keep asking the same questions.
• Productivity drops for a while.
• Some employees are excited, while others quietly resist the change.

Sound familiar?

That’s because implementing change and accepting change are two different things.

This is exactly what William Bridges’ Transition Model explains.

Bridges says change is external, but transition is internal.

A new system can go live in a day. But helping people let go of old habits, learn new ways of working, and finally feel comfortable with the change takes much longer.

According to Bridges, people usually move through three phases of transition.

1. Endings
2. Neutral Zone
3. New Beginnings

Let’s look at each phase.

Phase 1: Endings: Letting Go of the Old

Every transition starts with an ending.

Before people can accept something new, they first have to let go of what they’re familiar with.

That could be:

• A process they’ve followed for years
• A tool they know inside out
• A routine that feels comfortable
• Even the way they see their role

This is why change often creates emotions before it creates results.

People might feel:

• Uncertain
• Anxious
• Frustrated
• Resistant
• Confused
• Worried about the future

As leaders, it’s easy to jump straight into explaining the benefits of the new solution.

The challenge is that employees are still thinking about what they’re losing.

What Leaders Should Focus On

Instead of only talking about the future:

• Explain what is changing.
• Explain why it’s changing.
• Acknowledge that change isn’t always easy.
• Be honest about what will stay the same.
• Give people time to ask questions.
• Communicate regularly, not just once.

People don’t expect leaders to remove every concern.

They do expect them to listen.

Phase 2: Neutral Zone: The Messy Middle

This is the stage most projects experience after go-live.

The old way no longer works.

The new way still feels unfamiliar.

People know what they’re supposed to do…

They’re just not confident doing it yet.

This is why you often see:

• More questions
• More mistakes
• Lower productivity
• Uncertainty
• A lot of “Can someone help me?”

It can feel like the project isn’t working.

In reality, this is a normal part of transition.

The interesting thing is that this phase also creates the biggest learning opportunities.

People start:

• Trying different approaches
• Sharing ideas
• Learning from mistakes
• Finding better ways to work

This is where new habits begin to form.

What Leaders Should Focus On

Rather than expecting perfection:

• Encourage people to experiment.
• Treat mistakes as learning opportunities.
• Provide coaching and support.
• Ask for feedback regularly.
• Keep communication open.
• Celebrate progress, not just perfection.

Think of this phase as practice before mastery.

Phase 3: New Beginnings: Building Confidence

Eventually, something changes.

People stop asking,

“Why are we doing this?”

Instead they ask,

“How can I do this better?”

That’s when you know the transition is working.

The new process becomes normal.

Confidence starts growing.

People begin helping others instead of asking for help.

This is where leaders need to reinforce the change instead of assuming the job is finished.

4P – What It Means

• Purpose Help people understand why the change matters.
• Picture Show what success looks like.
• Plan Give people a clear roadmap for moving forward.
• Part to Play Make sure everyone understands how they contribute.

What Leaders Should Focus On

At this stage:

• Celebrate milestones.
• Share success stories.
• Recognize employees who adopted the change.
• Reinforce the vision.
• Continue supporting teams.

The goal is to make the new way feel like “the way we work now.”