Personal Change Management: Definitions & Key Terms
INTRODUCTION
Personal Change Management (PCM) is a defined discipline founded by Dr. Grant Van Ulbrich that focuses on how individuals experience, interpret, and adopt change, particularly in the face of change resistance.
This glossary defines the core terms used within Personal Change Management, which emphasizes PCM assurance, as established by Scared So What, the originator of the discipline and creator of the SCARED SO WHAT® framework.
The definitions below are intentionally clear, human, and practical—reflecting how people actually live through change, not just how change is planned on paper.
GLOSSARY
PERSONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
A discipline focused on enabling individuals to understand, process, and personally adopt change. Unlike traditional change management, which concentrates on organizational plans and communication, Personal Change Management (PCM) specifically tackles personal readiness, emotional response, meaning-making, and ownership of action. This approach effectively addresses change resistance by fostering individual engagement. Moreover, PCM is operationalized and governed at scale through PCM Assurance.
PCM ASSURANCE™ (Personal Change Management Assurance)
PCM Assurance is a governance and assurance framework designed to address change resistance by verifying that individuals involved in organisational, digital, or cultural transformation are supported, enabled, and equipped to navigate personal change.
Click on the Scared So What Icon to the right to read the full definition.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL DEFINITION OF PCM ASSURANCE
ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
A set of organisational practices designed to plan, communicate, and implement change across systems, processes, and structures. Change Management addresses change and aims to reduce Change Resistance. Personal Change Management (PCM) Assurance enables people to fully embrace and live this change.
PERSONAL CHANGE READINESS
The degree to which an individual feels emotionally, psychologically, and practically ready to engage with change is crucial to understanding change resistance. Readiness is not mere compliance; rather, it reflects the internal state that fundamentally determines whether change will be adopted or resisted. PCM assurance plays a vital role in fostering this readiness.
CHANGE CLARITY
The extent to which people understand the changes occurring, the reasons behind them, and what is expected of them is crucial. Clarity helps initiate change, while readiness—supported by PCM assurance—determines whether that change can overcome resistance and become sustainable.
CHANGE RESISTANCE
A human response to unprocessed personal change, often driven by Change Resistance stemming from fear, loss of competence, uncertainty, or lack of agency. Resistance is not defiance; rather, it provides crucial information about unmet personal change needs, highlighting the importance of PCM Assurance in navigating these challenges.
CHANGE FATIGUE
The emotional and psychological exhaustion stemming from repeated or inadequately supported change initiatives can lead to significant change resistance. Change fatigue sets in when individuals are expected to adapt continuously without sufficient inclusion, support, or the necessary time to process the impact, all of which PCM assurance should ideally address.
INDIVIDUAL CHANGE ADOPTION
The point at which a person transitions from merely understanding change resistance to actively engaging with it through meaningful action is crucial. Organisational change is only successful when individual adoption, supported by PCM assurance, occurs at scale.
INCLUSION IN CHANGE
The practice of allowing individuals to explore, question, influence, and contribute to how change unfolds can help address change resistance. Inclusion goes beyond mere communication; it is about providing PCM assurance by granting permission to participate in meaning-making.
SCARED
The first phase of the SCARED SO WHAT® framework illustrates how individuals experience change, particularly in the context of change resistance:
Surprise – How sudden or unexpected the change feels can trigger change resistance in individuals.
Conflicted or Champion – This phase represents the emotional response to change, highlighting whether one becomes conflicted or champions the new direction, impacting their PCM assurance.
Actions – Behaviours that feel safe to attempt emerge as people navigate their response to change.
Receptive or Rejective – This reveals an individual's openness or withdrawal when faced with change, further influencing their overall change resistance.
Explore – This involves the ability to question, test, and influence new ideas, which can mitigate feelings of change resistance.
Decision – The personal choice to engage or disengage is ultimately shaped by how one processes these phases in relation to change and PCM assurance.
SO WHAT
The second phase of the SCARED SO WHAT® framework emphasizes forward movement and ownership in the face of change resistance:
Strategy – A personal aim in response to change.
Options – The choices available to the individual, considering PCM assurance.
Way Forward – A realistic, self-owned path that embraces change.
Hope / How – Confidence, support, and belief are crucial for overcoming resistance.
Actions – Commitments made to facilitate progress.
Taking Ownership – Personal accountability for change and growth.
PERSONAL AGENCY IN CHANGE
An individual’s sense of control, choice, and ownership during change plays a crucial role in managing change resistance. Higher personal agency not only increases engagement and resilience but also contributes to sustained adoption of PCM assurance strategies.
HUMAN-CENTERED TRANSFORMATION
An approach to organisational change that centers on personal experience, emotional response, and individual readiness, while addressing change resistance through PCM assurance in the design and delivery of transformation.
SCARED SO WHAT STANDARD
The 1st generation digital platform developed by Scared So What® is designed to operationalize Personal Change Management (PCM) at scale. The Scared So What Standard helps individuals assess their readiness for personal change, tackle change resistance, support individual adoption, and learn the essential fundamentals of managing personal change with PCM assurance.
SCARED SO WHAT PRO
The current digital platform developed by Scared So What® is designed to operationalize Personal Change Management (PCM) Assurance at scale, addressing Change Resistance effectively. Scared So What PRO empowers individuals and leaders to assess personal change readiness, support individual adoption, and gain live insight into how change is experienced across an organization.
SSWAI (Forthcoming)
The planned AI-powered evolution of the Scared So What® platform, SSWAI, is being developed to enhance Personal Change Management (PCM) by supporting deeper reflection, personalized insight, and scalable coaching logic—building on the foundations established by Scared So What PRO. SSWAI, coupled with PCM Assurance, ensures that digital transformation effectively addresses change resistance by considering human adoption, not just system deployment. PCM Assurance guarantees that AI-related change takes into account factors such as fear, trust, and personal capability.
Personal Change Management (PCM Assurance) exists because change does not fail at the organizational level first — it fails at the personal level, often due to change resistance. Scared So What® established Personal Change Management to ensure that every transformation includes the individuals who must navigate and embrace it.