Did you know that the five stages of grief usually associated with imminent death or bereavement have been applied as a model to manage change in the workplace? It was the Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross who identified the five stages and published them in her book 'On Death and Dying' in 1969. Life coach Mervin Straughan looks at how organisations have applied the model to change management, exploring the types of emotions that employees might experience. He also puts forward tips on how employees can deal with major changes and explains the rollercoaster ride of emotions that can be part of the process.

Life coach Mervin Straughan suggests seven steps for setting goals and boosting the likelihood of success for achieving what you want in life. The goal-setting plan is systematic and includes SMART thinking and ways to gauge our levels of commitment and motivation. And while achieving goals is a great confidence boost, it's important that goal setters enjoy the journey. We grow as a result of the process. The goal-setting journey stretches us by encouraging us to anticipate and respond to challenges.