ADKAR change model was created by Jeff Hiatt, the founder of Prosci. It is an abbreviation, which represents five stages that an individual must realize in order to change successfully: cognition, desire, knowledge, ability and consolidation? .
ADKAR image
When applied to organizational change, the model allows leaders and change management teams to focus their activities on promoting individual change, thus achieving organizational results. ADKAR provides clear objectives and results for change management activities, and also provides an easy-to-use framework for everyone in the organization to think about change. Employees, managers and senior leaders can all use ADKAR together to describe and discuss changes.
Change is often a complicated and difficult process, and more importantly, it is inevitable. Managing changes at the individual and organizational levels requires new ideas, new change models, and new frameworks and tools to successfully achieve the required changes. ADKAR can be applied to all kinds of changes and promote the success of changes.
Change occurs at the individual level; In order to change a group or organization, all individuals in the group must change. The best project management, vision or solution will not lead to successful change. The secret of successful change lies in something simpler: how to promote a person's change.
In order to influence the changes in our organizations, enterprises and communities, we must first understand how to influence individual changes. Usually, it may be vague to help individuals change, but ADKAR's change management model provides us with guidance and structure to help individuals change.
Adkar outlined the process of successful personal change. Each step of the model is naturally suitable for typical activities related to change management. For example:
Recognize the business reasons for change. Cognition is the goal/result of early communication related to organizational change.
The desire to participate in change. Desire is the goal/result of initiative and resistance management.
Knowledge of how to change. Knowledge is the goal/result of training and consultation.
The ability to achieve or implement change with expected efficiency. Ability is the goal/result of extra training, practice and time.
Consolidate and ensure that the fruits of change are maintained. Consolidation is the goal/result of evaluating the adoption degree of change, corrective measures and recognition of successful change.
The goals and results defined by ADKAR are gradual and cumulative, and they must be achieved in order to make effective and sustainable changes.
In order to use the ADKAR change model effectively, it is very important to understand the role of all factors in the new plan change and the success of the change. Changes occur at two levels: changes in business and changes in people. Successful change is the result of two levels of change maturing at the same time (see below).
Adkar stage
The standard elements of a typical change project are listed below. Most managers are familiar with these stages of management:
Identify business needs or opportunities
Define the project (scope and objectives)
Design business solutions (new processes, systems and organizational structures)
Develop new processes and systems
Implementing solutions in the organization
These are the practical and concrete aspects of the project and are usually the default steps when implementing a new solution. However, managers are not satisfied with another aspect of change: the change at the human level.
Adkal people
The most frequently mentioned reason for project failure is the human factor in the process of change.
In Prosci benchmarking research, effective change management of "employees" is listed as one of the five success factors of the project. In order to effectively manage the human dimension of change, it is necessary to make a plan, which includes similar practical and concrete steps, to achieve five key objectives of ADKAR in human dimension, which need to be achieved through this project. This cannot be accidental, nor can it be assumed that it will happen naturally.
To help you understand this model more clearly and how to apply it, think about what changes you want to make in your personal life. A good example is to add a regular exercise plan; Many people try to change, but they can't last for a while. Now let's apply the ADKAR model to this exercise plan:
Cognition: Do you know the necessity of exercise? Articles or TV reports describing the health benefits of regular exercise can enhance your awareness of the necessity of exercise.
Desire: Do you have the personal motivation to start exercising? Cognition is not enough to make a change. You need to make a personal decision based on your unique motivation to make this change.
Knowledge: Do you know how to exercise effectively and safely? In order to gain knowledge, you can hire a personal trainer, take a fitness class or order a fitness video. In order to change effectively, you need to know how to do it.
Ability: Can you put your knowledge into practice? Knowing how to do it is very different from being able to do it. You may need to reschedule other jobs to make time for new actions. You can consider one-on-one training with a coach or personal trainer to develop your new skills.
Consolidation: Do you have the strength to consolidate and prevent yourself from returning to old habits? Maybe when you meet some sports milestones, you will have a reward system. Or you may have a fitness partner who keeps you going to the gym.
Taking sports as an example, it is easy to see how the changes at the individual level have taken place. Now let's consider how this framework can be applied to employees in the process of change.
ADKAR model helps us understand our personal needs when we change at work and what kind of support we can provide to help them change successfully. Let's take ADKAR as an example to implement a new software tool:
Do your employees realize the need for change? If changes are implemented and employees don't realize that any changes are needed, their reaction may be: "It's a waste of time, and it was fine before". It is very important to realize that change is the demand of enterprises or organizations. Cognition may include explaining to employees that old software will no longer be supported by suppliers, and that new software is necessary to meet customer needs and improve efficiency. This is most effective when the cognitive information of the organization comes from the top leaders in the organization. Based on this knowledge, the reaction may be very different: "How long will this situation last and how will this affect me?"
Do your employees have the desire to participate in change? If employees don't want to change, you may hear, "I'm not interested in change. What's in it for me? In this case, the direct manager or supervisor of the employee who resists the change is the best candidate. They are closest to employees and know their daily work best. Through one-on-one conversation, the manager or supervisor can find out the reasons for employees' personal resistance and eliminate any obstacles that employees encounter in entering the change. Managers or supervisors can also help create ambitions by translating changes into meaningful terms and help answer "What's in it for me?" . Although managers play a key role here, in the end, employees must make personal decisions to participate in this change according to their own unique motives.
Do your employees understand the changes? In order to change effectively, you need to know how to change. Only after reaching the milestone of cognition and desire can knowledge construction be provided. If training is provided before this, employees will not link training with change, nor will they participate in knowledge building. If the investment in training is effective, it is also necessary to ensure that training is specially formulated for the role of employees in change.
Can your employees put their knowledge into practice? Knowing how to work in a future changing state is very different from being able to work in a future changing state. If an employee is knowledgeable but incapable, you may hear: "I didn't do these new steps right" or "I did, but it took me twice as long". In order to bridge the gap between knowledge and ability, employees will benefit from an environment where they can make mistakes and allow practical consultation and practical questions. In order to achieve change, employees also need time to equip themselves. When the ability is reached, change will happen and you will see new behaviors.
Do you have proper consolidation measures to prevent your employees from returning to old habits? If the integration measures are not in place, employees can use flexibility or rely on the old forms instead of the new system. You may hear such words: "the new way takes too long;" I will continue to do it my way "or" I always forget to include the new department ". The human brain has the habit of thinking, and physically we are trained to return to the old habits. We must have appropriate consolidation measures to maintain the change, monitor whether the change lasts, where it happens, celebrate and recognize it. Positive recognition is a good way to reward employees for making changes and prove the importance of participation. If some employees return to the old procedures or habits, check whether they need more training or consultation, and strengthen their desire to continue working in new ways.
ADKAR change model is an indispensable tool for leaders and change experts. It is effective and easy to master, and can be applied to various organizational change environments.
Using ADKAR model will help you plan new changes effectively and diagnose the failures of current changes so that you can take corrective measures. Each step of the model outlines the individual's successful change journey and provides you with a result-oriented change management activity. For example, since you already have a communication plan, you no longer need to make a communication plan; Now, you will make a communication plan to raise awareness of the necessity of change. If you are ready to make changes, whether you are an individual or a professional, this result-oriented approach will increase your chances of success.