Psychologists Don Kelley and Daryl Connor found that the path through change is actually quite predictable. They call it the Emotional Cycle of Change, and it consists of five stages: uninformed optimism, informed pessimism, the valley of despair, informed optimism, and success and fulfillment.

Having a framework for this cycle will equip you to navigate this change more successfully and support your team to do the same.

1. Uninformed Optimism. This is going to be great! With OKRs, this moment feels like OKRs will instantly catapult you and your company to the next level.
2. Informed Pessimism. With OKRs, people are recognizing the work involved in learning OKRs and a new tool.
3. Valley of Despair. With OKRs, results aren't in yet, people are wondering “Why OKRs?” .
4. Informed Optimism. This is when people begin adapting to the change and become more comfortable. People understand how OKRs can reduce work and create alignment. The vision for how implementing OKRs will benefit everyone feels within reach.
5. Success and Fulfillment. In the last stage of the cycle of change, people have seen the need for the change and adopted OKRs. OKRs are viewed as an opportunity. This is the part of the OKR journey where the benefits of OKRs are felt and realized. The work of behavior change now feels natural. Individuals, teams, and departments are aligned to company goals and people experience how their goals are clarified and realized.

Understanding the Emotional Cycle of Change prepares you for what's to come and increases resilience when you or your team experiences challenges along the way. Remembering that OKRs are a journey that takes time reduces the pressure people may feel to become immediate OKR experts.