Organizational Change requires Personal Change to be successful
Methods like PDCA and DMAIC focus on the technical aspects of Continuous Improvement.
However, Operational & Organizational Change at times also requires Individual change in order to be successful.
The Prosci ADKAR® Model was developed nearly two decades ago by Prosci founder Jeff Hiatt after studying the change patterns of more than 700 organizations.
The word “ADKAR” is an acronym for the five outcomes an individual needs to achieve for a change to be successful: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement.
The model is based on the understanding that organizational change can only happen when individuals change. The ADKAR Model focuses on individual change—guiding individuals through a particular change and addressing any roadblocks or barrier points along the way.
The 5 elements of the ADKAR Model
Organizational changes often fail because employees don’t understand the importance of getting on board the change or how to successfully make the change. They simply understand that a change is happening. And leaders are often not equipped to engage individuals effectively during the change and to manage any potential resistance.
The ADKAR Model addresses these challenges by equipping leaders with the right strategies and tools, and individuals with the right information, motivation and ability to successfully move through changes in the organization.
By outlining the goals and outcomes of successful change, the ADKAR Model enables leaders and change management teams to focus their activities on what will drive individual change and therefore achieve organizational results.
The five ADKAR building blocks of successful change for an individual:
Awareness - Of the need for change
Desire - To participate in and support the change
Knowledge - Of how to change, what to do during and after the change
Ability - To implement the desired skills & behaviours
Reinforcement - To sustain the change, ensure the results of a change continues