Webinar - Applying ADKAR

ADKAR is Prosci's individual change model, developed by our president and founder Jeff Hiatt over 10 years ago. Jeff's engineering background caused him to ask the question "why are we doing that" whenever he was exposed to change management activities. The results is a model that explains how an individual goes through successful change, whether at the job or in a personal setting. ADKAR stands for:

Awareness - of the need for change
Desire - to participate and support the change
Knowledge - on how to change
Ability - to implement required skills and behaviors
Reinforcement - to sustain the change

There are several things that make ADKAR so powerful. First, it is focused on the individual. Successful organizational change is actually the culmination of all impacted individuals making their own successful personal transition. Are you implementing a new sales approach? It is only as successful as each sales person is at making the change to how they do their day-to-day work. Rolling out an ERP application? It will only succeed if each individual who provides data or extracts data makes a successful change to how they work.

Second, ADKAR is results-oriented. It focuses on what we are trying to achieve, and not just on the steps we take to get there. This gives a powerful new dimension to change management practitioners. It provides context and 'targets' for activities like communication, sponsorship and training. It helps narrow down discussions and problem solving efforts.

When people go through our 3-day certification program, time and time again they cite ADKAR as having the most impact on how they do their jobs, and how they live their lives. I use the phrase "put on your ADKAR glasses" numerous times on virtually every webinar. By describing the output of successful change, ADKAR provides an extraordinary context for the many large and small changes happening everyday at organizations around the world.

Do you have reflections on ADKAR? Or, have you used ADKAR on a project and have a story to share? Post a comment for the webinar community below.