We are, most likely, well aware of the rapid pace of change that permeates our world, our lives and businesses, especially over the past several months.
And while people generally accept the fact that change is, in fact, a constant and necessary factor, most of us struggle with applying the logic. Instead, we tend to resist change.
One way leaders can better lead and manage the process of helping people deal with change is the Prosci ADKAR® Model, which is a goal-oriented approach to change management for individuals and organizations.
The ADKAR® Model was created by Jeff Hiatt, founder of Prosci, a change management solutions provider. It is an acronym that represents the five “tangible and concrete outcomes that people need to achieve for lasting change.”
These outcomes or steps are:
- Awareness of why change is necessary
- Desire or a willingness to support the change (often requires steps 3-5)
- Knowledge of how the change will be made
- Ability to apply or work within the change, possibly through skill development
- Reinforcement to help make the change stick
This approach has proved to be an effective way for leaders to both facilitate change and support team members (and possibly themselves!) throughout the process.