Adkar Model

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.
com 1
CONTENTS
WHY THE ADKAR MODEL? 3
UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL 3
USING ADKAR WITH TRADITIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES 4
FRAMEWORK OF A CHANGE INITIATIVE 6
THE BUSINESS DIMENSION OF CHANGE 7
THE PEOPLE DIMENSION OF CHANGE 7
HOW TO USE THE ADKAR MODEL 8
THE ADKAR MODEL IN A PERSONAL CHANGE 8
THE ADKAR MODEL IN AN ORGANIZATION 10
THE POWER OF ADKAR FOR MANAGING CHANGE 13
ADKAR EXERCISE - IMPLEMENTING THE ADKAR MODEL 14
ADKAR ASSESSMENT 15
APPLYING THE ADKAR ASSESSMENT RESULTS 16
ACTIONABLE STEPS 16
TO CONCLUDE 17
WHY THE ADKAR MODEL?
Change is often a complex and difficult process. Leading successful change in other people and
across whole organizations requires new thinking and new tools. The Prosci ADKAR® Model
is a valuable framework for organizational leaders, change managers and project managers to
effectively lead a wide variety of changes. The lens of ADKAR reveals both key concepts that
influence successful change and actionable insights for implementing these concepts.
UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
Having the clearest vision or the most effectively-designed solution to a problem will not,
alone, produce successful change. The secret to leading successful change is rooted in
Prosci and ADKAR are trademarks of Prosci, Inc., registered in the US and other countries
© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 3
something much simpler: how to facilitate change with one person.
Change happens at the individual level. In order for a group or organization to change, all
the individuals within that group or organization must change. This means that in order to
affect change in our organizations, businesses and communities, we must first understand
how to affect change one person at a time. The Prosci ADKAR Model is a framework for
understanding and managing individual change. It provides structure and tangible guidance for
leaders who want to motivate change in others.
ADKAR is an acronym that represents the five milestones or outcomes an individual must
achieve for change to be successfully realized: awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and
reinforcement. When applied to organizational change, this model allows leaders and change
management teams to focus their activities on what will drive individual change and produce
organizational results collectively.
The goals or outcomes defined by ADKAR are sequential and cumulative. They must be
achieved in order. For a change to be implemented and sustained, an individual must progress
through each of the milestones, starting with awareness.
ADKAR was initially conceived through Prosci founder Jeff Hiatt’s early research to align
traditional change management activities with project goals and results. The ADKAR
Model was first used to determine the effectiveness of change management activities like
communication and training in achieving desired organizational change results.
USING ADKAR WITH TRADITIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
The ADKAR Model outlines an individual’s successful journey through change. Each step of the
model naturally aligns to typical activities associated with change management and articulates
clear goals for these activities.

For example:
1. Awareness of the business reasons for change. Awareness is a goal/outcome of early
communications related to an organizational change.
2. Desire to engage and participate in the change. Desire is a goal/outcome of sponsorship
and resistance management.
3. Knowledge about how to change. Knowledge is a goal/outcome of training and coaching.
4. Ability to realize or implement the change at the required performance level. Ability is a
goal/outcome of additional coaching, practice and time.
5. Reinforcement to ensure change sticks. Reinforcement is a goal/outcome of adoption
measurement, corrective actions and recognition of successful change.
In identifying the outcomes of change management activities, the ADKAR Model provides a
useful framework for change management teams in both the planning and the execution of
their work.

THE FRAMEWORK OF A CHANGE INITIATIVE
The ADKAR Model can be used to identify gaps within your change management process.
By breaking down a change into the parts of ADKAR, you will be able to see where and why a
change is not working well. With this understanding, you can address the barrier points, provide
effective coaching for your employees and take the necessary steps to improve change success.
The ADKAR Model is useful in:
• Diagnosing employee resistance to change
• Helping employees transition through the change process
• Creating a successful action plan for personal and professional advancement during a
change initiative
• Developing a change management plan for your employees
Changes come to life on two dimensions: the business or project side of change and the
people side of change. Successful change is a result of both dimensions of change maturing
simultaneously (see below). Project management and change management are complementary
disciplines with a common purpose of producing results and outcomes.

THE BUSINESS DIMENSION OF CHANGE
Listed below are standard steps of a typical business change project. Whether formalized in
a project management discipline or not, most managers will feel comfortable managing these
phases:
• Identify a business need or opportunity
• Define the project (scope and objectives)
• Design the business solution (new processes, systems and organizational structure)
• Develop the new processes and systems
• Implement the solution into the organization
THE PEOPLE DIMENSION OF CHANGE
Even with an effectively architected project plan, however, the most commonly cited reason for
project failure is problems with the people side of change.
In parallel, the five steps or outcomes to be built on the people side of change are the
elements of ADKAR:
• Awareness of the need for change
• Desire to participate and support the change
• Knowledge of how to change
• Ability to implement the change on a day-to-day basis
• Reinforcement to keep the change in place

HOW TO USE THE ADKAR MODEL
Let’s look at two examples of the ADKAR Model in application, the first in a personal change
scenario and the second in a professional change scenario. Following the examples, there is a
simple ADKAR activity to help build a clearer understanding of the model and how to apply it.
THE ADKAR MODEL IN A PERSONAL CHANGE
Adding a regular physical exercise regimen is a personal change many people attempt but
struggle to sustain over time. Let’s look at each element of ADKAR in this context:
• Awareness: are you aware of the need to exercise? Why should you start an exercise
regimen? Some things that may build your awareness are reading articles or seeing news
reports that describe the health benefits of regular exercise, from weight control to
preventing disease and reducing stress.
• Desire: do you have the personal motivation
to start exercising? A lot of people are aware of
the need to exercise but might not have found
the personal desire to start. Desire is a very
individual concept. Your motivation may be that
you want to lose weight to better keep up with
your kids; or you have a need for more physical
strength at work; or maybe you’re looking for
a way to reduce anxiety. Regardless of what
your motivation is, you must make a personal
decision to make this change, based on your
own unique motivations.

• Knowledge: do you know how to effectively and safely exercise? This is where you need
to gain some knowledge. Perhaps you hire a personal trainer to teach you the basics,
attend an exercise class with an instructor or order a workout video or book. In order to
effectively change, you need to know how.
• Ability: can you put your knowledge into practice? Just because you know how to
do something, does not mean you can actually do it. We often need coaching when
implementing new behaviors, so you may need additional practice time with a personal
trainer to build up to doing exercises effectively or with proper form. Or perhaps
conflicting time commitments are preventing you from being able to exercise and you
need to rearrange other priorities to make the time.
• Reinforcement: do you have reinforcements in place to prevent you from reverting to your
old habits? In this example, you may have a reward system for yourself when you hit certain
exercise milestones. Or you might have a workout buddy who holds you accountable for
showing up to the gym.
Note that each of the five elements of the ADKAR
Model represents a particular result that you
are trying to achieve. Also note that all elements
are cumulative and must be performed in order.
If, for example, we skip past the desire to start
exercising, all attempts to learn how to exercise (to

build knowledge and develop ability) will be more
ineffective, if not futile.
Using exercise as our example, it is easy to trace
how change occurs on a personal level through
the ADKAR Model. Now let’s consider how this
framework applies to employees in a professional environment and how you can help
influence their progress towards the desired outcome.

THE ADKAR MODEL IN AN ORGANIZATION
Just as with a personal change, the ADKAR Model helps us understand an individual’s needs
during a change at work and directs what kind of support enables employees to successfully
change. The change we will look at is the implementation of a new software tool.
Awareness
If the new software is implemented and employees are not aware that any changes are
needed, their reaction might be:
“This is a waste of time.”
“It was working just fine before.”
“They never tell us what’s going on!”
A natural human reaction to change, even in the best circumstances, is to resist. Awareness
of the business or organizational need to change is a critical component to overcoming
resistance.
If, on the other hand, employees clearly understand that the old software version will no longer
be supported by the vendor, or that new software will help them meet customer needs more
effectively, the reaction (based on increased awareness) could look very different:
“How soon will this happen?”
“How will this impact me?”
“Will I receive new training?”

Desire
Armed with awareness that a change is required, an employee still may have low desire to log
in and use the new software:
“I’m not interested in changing.”
“What’s in it for me?”
“I doubt they are really serious about this.”
The employee’s personal motivators or barriers contribute to their level of desire to use the
new software. Each person could have their own unique reasons for engaging or resisting;
sometimes reasons that are not even related to the change.
If an employee has no desire to change, they may be labeled as difficult, inflexible, pessimistic
or unsupportive. The best person to help a resistant employee is their direct manager or
supervisor, who is usually closest to the employee and able to translate the change into the
employee’s personal context. Managers need to engage in coaching conversations to help
connect the change to personal motivators and to identify how barriers can be removed or
minimized.
Knowledge
Only after awareness and desire are built should we begin providing detailed knowledge of
how to use the new software. Unfortunately, it is often the case that an organization sees a
change coming and the very first step that they take is to send employees to training. The
result of this approach is that the investment in the training is not highly effective. Employees
are not engaged in the detailed functionality of the software because they are not prepared

to learn. They may not even know why
they are there in the first place. To
make the most of a training investment,
it must come after initial awareness and
desire building.
Ability
After helping employees gain intellectual
understanding of how to navigate in

the software interface, there may still be a gap between knowledge and ability. Knowledge
is knowing what to do; ability is being able to actually put that knowledge into practice.
Demonstrated ability to operate with the software in a live, real-world situation is where the
change actually takes place. If an employee has knowledge but not ability, you might hear:
“I’m not getting these new steps right.”
“I eventually get there but it takes me twice as long.”
“I understand the manual, but when I have to do it, I freeze.”
To bridge the “knowledge to ability gap,” employees will benefit from hands-on coaching and
practice using the software before go-live. This practice could happen in a formal training
setting or by working through a simulated live environment. The important factor is that the
employees using the software can try it out, make mistakes and identify questions in a safe
environment. Often, employees simply need time to realize changes and the best thing we can
do is to give them time to practice.

Reinforcement
The final element of the ADKAR Model is reinforcement. The human brain is wired for habit.
We are physiologically programmed to revert to our old habits. When reinforcement is not in
place, we see employees using work-arounds or relying on their old spreadsheets instead of
the new software. We may hear things like:
“The new way just takes too long; I’m going to keep doing it my way.”
“I keep forgetting to include the new department.”
To reinforce change, we need to monitor whether the change is being sustained or not.
Who is logging in, following workflows and using the new software successfully? Where are
individuals recognizing new efficiencies in their work? With this information, the first step
is to celebrate and recognize where the change has taken hold. Positive recognition is a
great way to reward employees for working hard to make changes and demonstrate to the
organization that participating in the change is important. If some employees are reverting
to work-arounds or old processes, follow-up is needed to understand where their barriers
are. Do they need more training or coaching? Are they missing any of the ADKAR elements?
Reinforcement confirms that they are expected to continue working in the new way.
THE POWER OF ADKAR FOR MANAGING CHANGE
Approaching change using the ADKAR Model will help you to plan effectively for a new change.
Equally, if a current change is failing, the model can immediately diagnose where the process is
breaking down so that you can take the most effective corrective action. This results-oriented
approach helps focus energy on the area(s) that will produce the highest probability for
success, providing structure and direction. The ADKAR Model helps you identify any elements

that have been overlooked along the way.
ADKAR EXERCISE - IMPLEMENTING THE ADKAR MODEL
Now, let’s put the ADKAR Model into action. This exercise will help to separate and clarify the
key elements of the model and help you start applying it yourself.
Instructions:
1. To begin, identify a friend, family member, work associate or employee in whom you want
to see a particular change take hold. Choose an individual who is not having success,
despite your best efforts to support them through the change.
2. Answer the questions in the table below with this person in mind. Use the table for your
answers, notes and scores.
3. Once you have completed the table, take a moment to review the scores. Highlight all
areas that scored a 3 or below.

ADKAR ASSESSMENT
Brief description of the change Awareness
List the reasons you believe the change is

Notes:
necessary. Review these reasons and rate
the degree to which this person is aware
of them, or the need to change. (1 is no
awareness, 5 is total awareness)
Awareness of the need for change Score Desire
Notes: List the factors or consequences (good and

bad) that create a desire for this change.
Rate the person’s desire to change,
taking into consideration the motivating
factors, but also their convictions and any
associated consequences. (1 is no desire
Desire to make the change happen Score to change, 5 is strong desire)
Notes: Knowledge
List the skills and knowledge needed

to support the change, including if the
person has a clear picture of what the
change looks like. Rate this person’s
Knowledge about how to change Score
knowledge or level of training in these
areas. (1 is no knowledge, 5 is highly
Notes:
knowledgeable)
Ability
Considering the skills and knowledge

identified in the previous question,
Ability to change Score
evaluate the person’s ability to perform
these skills or act on this knowledge. Rate
Notes:
this person’s ability to implement the new
skills, knowledge and behaviors to support
the change. (1 is no ability, 5 is very able)
Reinforcement
Reinforcement to retain change Score
List the reinforcements that will help to
Notes: retain the change. Are incentives in place

to reinforce the change and make it stick?
Rate the reinforcements and how they
help support the change. (1 is not helpful,
5 is very helpful)
Once you have completed the table, take a moment to review the scores. Highlight all areas
that scored a 3 or below. Start with your first highlighted area.
APPLYING THE ADKAR ASSESSMENT RESULTS
As mentioned before, the outcomes of the individual change process need to be realized
sequentially. When influencing change in someone else, the elements of the ADKAR Model
must be addressed in order. The first element with a score of 3 or below must be addressed
first.
If awareness was identified as the first low-scoring area, this is where you must begin. Working
on desire, knowledge or skill development, if awareness is not firmly in place, will not help the
change happen.
ACTIONABLE STEPS
If awareness is needed: discuss and explore the reasons and benefits for this change, both
on the organizational level and on the individual level.
If more desire is needed: to move this person forward, you must address their inherent desire
to change (which may stem from negative or positive consequences). The motivating factors have
to be great enough to overcome the individual’s personal threshold to resisting the change.
If more knowledge is needed: avoid dwelling on reasons for change and motivating factors,
as this could be discouraging to somebody already at this phase. What is needed is education
and training for the skills and behaviors necessary to move forward.
If more ability is needed: at least two steps are required. First, time is needed to develop
new abilities and behaviors. Second, ongoing coaching and support is required - a one-time
training event or an educational program may not be adequate. Consider outside intervention,
continued support and mentoring.

If more reinforcement is needed: investigate if the necessary elements are present to keep
the person from reverting to old behaviors. Address the incentives or consequences for not
continuing to act in the new way.
TO CONCLUDE
The ADKAR Model is an essential tool for both change professionals and any leader who
needs to motivate change in others. The model is effective and easy to grasp. It can be applied
in a wide variety of organizational settings. If a change is failing, you can use the ADKAR Model
to identify any gaps within your change management process. ADKAR will highlight the areas
where focused corrective action can be taken to improve change success.
The ADKAR Model provides structure and direction that helps you to plan for change
effectively. Each step of the model outlines an individual’s successful journey through change
and aligns with the specific activities associated with leading change. If you are ready to lead
change, either personally or professionally, this results-oriented approach will increase your
change success.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
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day experiential learning program teaches you to apply a holistic change management
methodology and toolset, including the Prosci ADKAR Model, to a real project.
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CONTENTS
WHY BUILD AWARENESS? 4
BUILDING AWARENESS 5
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS 5
EFFECTIVE SPONSORSHIP 7
COACHING BY MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS 7
READY ACCESS TO BUSINESS INFORMATION 8
OBSTACLES TO BUILDING AWARENESS 9
A PERSON’S VIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE 9
HOW A PERSON PERCEIVES PROBLEMS 10
THE CREDIBILITY OF THE SENDER 10
CIRCULATION OF MISINFORMATION OR RUMORS 11
CONTESTABILITY OF THE REASONS FOR CHANGE 11
NEXT STEPS 12
A WARENESS D ESIRE K NOWLEDGE A BILITY R EINFORCEMENT ®
Any successful change begins by answering one of the most basic questions about change:
Why? It is human nature to want to understand the reasoning behind an action or a required
change.
The five parts of the Prosci ADKAR ® Model show the milestones an individual must achieve
for a change to be successful - awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement.
Awareness is the first goal.
Awareness represents a person’s understanding of the nature of the change, why the change
is being made and the risk of not changing. Awareness includes information about the internal
and external drivers that created the need for change, as well as “what’s in it for me?” This first
goal is defined as “awareness of the need for change,” not simply “awareness that a change is
happening.” This subtle nuance is an important distinction.
WHY BUILD AWARENESS?
Lack of awareness of the reason for change was cited as the primary source of employee
resistance in the Best Practices in Change Management - 2016 Edition. This lack is caused
by failure to communicate details of a change to employees. Ultimately, if an employee is
unable to answer “what’s in it for me?” resistance is likely to occur, and when awareness is
overlooked or ignored, projects face increased resistance, slow progress and reduced return
on investment. As one research participant said:
“Often employees are not opposed to a solution or a new way of doing
work, but rather they resisted change because no one made a clear and
compelling case as to why the change was needed.”
The elements of the Prosci ADKAR Model fall into a natural order of how one person
experiences change. It is tempting to skip awareness and jump straight ahead to desire and
knowledge. Building awareness establishes the groundwork upon which individuals can make
personal choices about change. Desire or knowledge cannot come before awareness, because
it is the awareness of the need for change that stimulates our desire or triggers our resistance
to change.
When it is readily visible to employees that an organization is in trouble, building awareness
will be relatively easy. In contrast, it is often more difficult to build awareness when an
organization is already succeeding. Change leaders will need to create a very compelling case
and make the reasons for change blatantly evident. If they are responding to an opportunity,
they will need to be clear in communicating this and sharing the reasons for change.

BUILDING AWARENESS
Building awareness as defined within ADKAR means sharing both the nature of the change and
communicating why this change is necessary. It means clearly explaining the business drivers
or opportunities that have resulted in the need for change. It also means addressing why a
change is needed now and explaining the risk of not changing.
Meeting the human need to know “why” is a critical factor in managing and enabling change.
People begin to seek this information at the first signs of change. In an organizational setting,
employees and managers alike will be eager to know the business or organizational reasons
for the change, so they can better understand the change and align themselves with the
organization’s direction.
Many will assume that the act of sharing information is enough to produce awareness. This
is not the case. The effectiveness of your communication depends on how the messages are
received and internalized. When an employee says, “I understand the nature of the change and
why this change is needed,” you have succeeded at building awareness. The only way you can
measure awareness is through interactions and feedback.
Below are several tactics for effectively building awareness:
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
Awareness-building will be most effective when the message is set in the proper context for
each audience and designed with them in mind. This begins with identifying and segmenting
audience groups, determining the appropriate messages and the preferred senders for each,
then developing the most effective packaging, timing and channels for these communications.

In any awareness-building plan, allow ample
opportunity for two-way communications.
Check for understanding and buy-in. Provide
opportunity for impacted groups to raise
concerns and engage them in the broader
change initiative.
Depending upon the audience and
position in the change process, channels of
communication may include:
• Face-to-face meetings
• Group meetings
• One-on-one communications
• Email
• Newsletters
• Intranet
• Executive presentations
• Training and workshops
• Project team presentations
• Update bulletins
• Video conferencing
• Demonstrations

EFFECTIVE SPONSORSHIP
For employees, the executive sponsor of change is the best spokesperson for communicating
why a change is needed and the risk of not changing. To be effective the executive sponsor
must be active and visible throughout the entire change process, engaging with the project
team and collecting feedback from employees. This direct communication with employees
will increase adoption of the change. The executive sponsor must also build a coalition that
reinforces the awareness messages at all levels - enabling peers, managers and direct reports
to communicate the reasons for change through multiple communication channels and
throughout the organization. A dedicated and supportive sponsor is critical to a successful
change initiative.
In the Best Practices in Change Management - 2016 Edition, as in
previous research reports, participants identified “active and visible
sponsorship” as the most important contributor to change management
success - more than three times as often as other contributors.
COACHING BY MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS
Part of awareness-building for employees is learning what the change will mean for them
personally. When a change is proposed, a supervisor or manager is in the best position to
help employees understand the reasons for change in meaningful terms and to evaluate how
the change will impact them at the individual level. To be effective in this role, managers and
supervisors must have the opportunity to build awareness of the need for change themselves
- and must therefore have accurate and complete messages relating to the change and basic
skills and knowledge in leading change with their own employees.

It is also important to remember that managers are employees first and managers second.
If they don’t understand the need for the change themselves or don’t have the support to
participate in the change, they will experience resistance themselves. It is critical to plan
activities to build awareness of the need for change with managers before expecting them to
effectively build awareness with their employees.
Managers and supervisors have the greatest challenge as they are in charge of translating
the change message from the top to their employees. Once a manager is onboard and has
received the appropriate training and coaching, they will be able to conduct effective sessions
with their employees. Face-to-face communications with employees about the change has
been cited in all of our longitudinal benchmarking studies as the most effective form of
communication. Honest, straightforward and confidential discussions also help to correct any
misunderstandings and provide an opportunity to collect feedback from employees, which will
help leadership better understand the background conversation. While group meetings are
more convenient and useful for initiating communications, one-on-one conversations that offer
details of the change on a personal level are best at answering “what’s in it for me?”
READY ACCESS TO BUSINESS INFORMATION
Many companies underestimate the power of readily accessible information about company
performance, market conditions, environmental factors, competitive threats and changing
business priorities. Transparency builds awareness on an ongoing basis and supports not
only the current change but also future changes. Increasing visibility and creating a culture
that values open sharing of information about the company, market and business direction
translates directly to increased awareness of the need for change among employees.

OBSTACLES TO BUILDING AWARENESS
There are many factors that influence how readily people recognize the need for change. As a
leader of change, you will need to understand not only the activities that drive awareness, but
also the resisting factors or restraining forces that may prevent the awareness message from
taking hold with your audiences. In some cases the resisting factors are so strong that even
the best communications plan will not be sufficient. Effective change management plans are
designed to surface and deal with these resisting factors.
Below we list potential resisting factors and suggestions for overcoming these barriers:
A PERSON’S VIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE
Individuals who are comfortable with or strongly invested in the current state may discredit or
deny the reasons for change in favor of maintaining the status quo. Take the time to listen to
and understand their point of view. One-on-one conversations will be most effective for this.

HOW A PERSON PERCEIVES PROBLEMS
People have different cognitive styles and this will impact how an individual approaches a
problem, internalizes an awareness message and perceives the need for change. While some
individuals will already see the need for change, others may be completely caught off-guard.
For this reason, broad and general communications to create awareness of the need for
change may not be effective. Individualized messages and one-on-one communications will
once again be more effective, along with providing the time and opportunity for people to
process new information and ask questions.
THE CREDIBILITY OF THE SENDER
Recipients of the awareness message will view the sender either as a credible source or
someone not to be believed, depending on their level of trust and respect for the sender. The
sender will directly impact how the message is internalized.
Senders from different levels of the
organization are more credible than
others, depending on the message.
Messages around why the change is being
made and how it aligns with the business
strategy are expected from the person
near or at the top of the organization.
Messages about how the change will
impact employees personally are expected
from their immediate supervisors.
Employees will also weigh the message against the backdrop of the organization’s track record

with change. If there is a history of false alarms or failed changes, individuals will tend to
disregard the new information. Credible awareness messages must be designed specifically for
each group, informed by their unique context, the access they have to information on a regular
basis, and their specific pain points regarding the proposed change. Key messages must be
tailored for each group and delivered by their preferred senders.
CIRCULATION OF MISINFORMATION OR RUMORS
If business managers have withheld information from employees about the change, rumors
may have spread and clouded the facts - and employees may prefer to listen to the rumors.
To overcome the barrier of distorted or incorrect background information, leaders and
supervisors will now need to spend extra time correcting misinformation, and employees will
have to decipher the real information from the fabricated.
Since circulation of misinformation stalls efforts to create awareness, it is better to
communicate the right information from the start. Even if all information is not yet solidified, it
is better to start clearly communicating what is known and what is not yet known rather than
letting people start to fill in the gaps for themselves.
CONTESTABILITY OF THE REASONS FOR CHANGE
If the reasons for change are unclear, subjective or open to debate, extra time will be needed
to build awareness. While some changes have external and observable reasons that are
difficult to dispute (like new industry regulations that require compliance) other changes
have reasons that are internally oriented and not immediately obvious to employees. When
employees question the credibility of the reasons for change, they are more likely to resist.

NEXT STEPS
Once the first objective of the ADKAR Model has been achieved, we can shift our focus to
the next milestone. In Desire: How to Positively Influence a Person’s Desire to Embrace
Change, we explore the importance of creating desire, typical challenges and many tactics that
can be used to influence and create the desire to support and participate in a change.

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CONTENTS
MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM AWARENESS TO DESIRE 4
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE A PERSON’S DESIRE TO CHANGE 5
THE NATURE OF THE CHANGE AND WIIFM 5
THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT FOR THE CHANGE 6
AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSONAL SITUATION 6
PERSONAL VALUES AND MOTIVATORS 7
CREATING DESIRE 7
EFFECTIVELY SPONSOR THE CHANGE WITH EMPLOYEES AND PEERS 7
EQUIP MANAGERS TO BE CHANGE LEADERS 9
ASSESS RISKS AND ANTICIPATE RESISTANCE 10
ENGAGE EMPLOYEES IN THE CHANGE PROCESS 11
ALIGN INCENTIVE PROGRAMS 12
FINAL THOUGHTS 12
The first step in the individual change process is establishing a clear understanding of why the
change is happening. Leading successful change starts with building awareness of the need
for change. When awareness has been established, the next step for an individual is to make a
personal decision to participate in the change.
The five parts of the Prosci® ADKAR ® Model show the milestones an individual must achieve
Desire is the second milestone. Desire represents the willingness to support and engage in
a change. Desire is ultimately about a personal choice that is influenced by the nature of the
change and by personal circumstances.
MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM AWARENESS TO DESIRE
Desire is often the most challenging ADKAR element to achieve. Awareness enables people to
understand the impacts and value of the future state, but creating more and more awareness
will not result in desire. Continuing to focus on the reasons for change rather than translating
those reasons into personal and organizational motivating factors can be discouraging and
frustrating for employees.
Creating desire to change, by definition, is not under a leader’s direct control. Change leaders
can take definitive steps to influence desire, but each individual ultimately makes his or her
own choice to support the change. Desire has been achieved when an individual genuinely
says, “I will be part of this change.”

In a business context, influencing desire requires a change management strategy that matches
the personal motivators of the impacted teams and leverages the influence of leaders in the
organization. Key business leaders act as sponsors of change. Managers and supervisors are
coaches to employees during the change process. Incentives are aligned with new behaviors
and employees are proactively engaged in the change process.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE A PERSON’S DESIRE TO CHANGE
Understanding the underlying factors that influence a person’s level of desire informs how to
plan for and respond to the behaviors that employees express when confronted with change:
THE NATURE OF THE CHANGE AND WIIFM
Individuals and groups assess a
forthcoming change with questions
like: “What is the change?” “How will the
change impact me?” and “What’s in it for
me?” (or WIIFM). The answers to these
questions inform their determination
of whether the future state represents
a threat or an opportunity. They may
also assess how effectively or fairly they
think the change will be deployed with
other impacted groups.

THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT FOR THE CHANGE
Every individual experiences change in the context of their own perception of the history
and culture of their organization. Organizational context includes the previous track record
with change, current levels of change saturation and the overall direction of the organization.
Employees may be less willing to engage in new changes, for example, if the company has a
negative history of starting changes and not following through or of allowing individuals to
opt out. Each person’s experience is unique. How they view the environment and how they
interpret the context of the current change will vary considerably.
AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSONAL SITUATION
An individual’s personal situation impacts
their desire to change. Personal context
includes a wide variety of factors that
can influence desire: family status,
financial security, career aspirations,
age, health, relationships at home and at
work, educational background, upcoming
personal events, and past successes in
the work environment. A reaction to
change that, on the surface, appears
counterintuitive or excessive may have very little to do with the change itself. Understanding
an individual’s personal situation is very helpful in understanding their choice to support or a
resist a change.

PERSONAL VALUES AND MOTIVATORS
Personal motivators are inherent attributes
that drive our choices and make us
unique as individuals. Some people value
advancement, and strive for respect, power
and position. Other people desire depth
in relationships and financial security. The
decision to engage with change is much
easier when the future state aligns with an
employee’s personal motivators. In addition
to what we value, internal beliefs about
whether we can be successful with change being made also impact our desire to change.
CREATING DESIRE
Within the context of the factors that impact desire, leaders of change can positively influence
the decision to embrace change. Below are several tactics for effectively building desire:
EFFECTIVELY SPONSOR THE CHANGE WITH EMPLOYEES AND PEERS
Twice as often as any other obstacle, participants in the Best Practices in
Change Management – 2016 Edition reported “Lack of active and visible
sponsorship” as the number one obstacle to successful change outcomes.

Executive sponsors are instrumental in creating desire to support and engage in a change
among employees. To see the best results and the most adoption of the new solution, senior
leaders need to be present, interact on a personal level and be willing to answer the difficult
questions throughout the change process. Employees watch their leaders closely. If leadership
actively and visibly supports the change, employees will determine that the change is still
important.
Sponsors who disengage from a project, are
absent or delegate the role of sponsorship
entirely communicate that the change is not
important. Momentum and support from
employees diminishes. There is greater
resistance to the change, slower adoption
throughout the organization and, in some
cases, project failure.
Sponsors of change are also responsible
to build a strong coalition of support with their peers. Senior leaders need to take the time
to build buy-in for the change throughout the management levels of the organization. This
includes addressing concerns and conflicting priorities head-on. A weak sponsorship coalition
allows resistance to grow.
In the Best Practices in Change Management – 2016 Edition, 56 percent
of participants reported that their sponsors did not have an adequate
understanding of the role of an effective sponsor. Participants also
reported that nearly one third of sponsors failed to build a coalition in
support of their change.

EQUIP MANAGERS TO BE CHANGE LEADERS
Employees turn to their immediate supervisors for cues about how to respond to change.
Managers and supervisors must be prepared to help individuals on their teams make sense of
the change. Ideally, leaders demonstrate their own commitment to the change in actions and
words, leading by example and proactively addressing their teams’ barriers.
Effective managers create opportunities to talk openly about the change. They clearly articulate
both the negative and positive impacts of the change. They actively listen as their employees
work through questions and concerns. In many cases employees simply want to voice their
objections and be heard. While some employees will want to talk about past failed changes
and why this change is different, others will need to discuss their personal situation and how
this change affects them.
“Frequent and open communication” was cited as a top contributor to
successful change initiatives in the Best Practices in Change Management –
2016 Edition. Participants also highlighted the importance of consistency,
openness and transparency in communication during change. As the
resource closest to employees on a daily basis and a preferred sender of
change messages, managers play a critical role in change communication.
By understanding each employee’s unique situation and position toward the change, managers
can identify obstacles and sources of resistance. They can assist employees in finding solutions
to address these barriers. Understanding what is important to each individual also helps
managers build desire around the most impactful motivators.
For managers and supervisors to have effective conversations with employees, they must first

be onboard with the change themselves. Managers are employees first. They will be impacted
by change and have their own questions and concerns. Before they can effectively lead their
teams, they must first have opportunity to process and resolve their own uncertainties and
fears.
“Managers have the greatest challenge as they are in charge of translating
the change message from the top to their employees. If they don’t
understand the change or don’t have the support to do it, it makes them
more resistant.” - Best Practices in Change Management - 2016 Edition.
Too often, the role of the manager is
overlooked in times of change. It is assumed
that the title of manager means an individual
is already an effective coach and resistance
manager. The role is critically important
to influencing desire with employees, but
change management and change coaching
are skills that need to be developed. The
project team, the organizational change
team and the executive sponsors must all be
active in equipping managers to be prepared to lead during change.
ASSESS RISKS AND ANTICIPATE RESISTANCE
Most change management methods include readiness assessments that identify potential
challenges and points of resistance. Assessment results serve as proactive planning tools
designed to target resistance and mitigate known risks from the onset. The combination

of assessments about the size and scope of the change itself and assessments about
organizational readiness reveal the overall risk of the change. Change impact assessments
identify the transitions required from different areas of the organization and the unique
challenges for specific groups. With this information, change managers can strategically
develop special tactics to proactively build desire. Special tactics may address areas of
potential resistance or offer tailored support to those most impacted.
ENGAGE EMPLOYEES IN THE CHANGE PROCESS
Direct participation and ownership for the change is a fast and effective way to build support
and desire. Increased engagement of impacted employees in a change initiative translates
directly into increased likelihood of the initiative achieving its desired results.
Participants in the Best Practices in Change Management – 2016 Edition
cited “Employee engagement” and “Participation in the change” as key
contributors to a successful change initiative.
There are many different roles employees can play in the change process. They may be able
to get involved in the creation of the needed solution or to participate in testing of the new
solution to provide feedback and input for improvements. Natural influencers and peer leaders
can engage as change champions or members of a change agent network. Actively engaging
key individuals in the change produces a multiplying effect in overall levels of desire to support
the change, and ultimately can lead to significant increases in the speed and success of
adoption.

ALIGN INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
The behaviors of employees during change
are strongly driven by how they are measured
and rewarded. If there is an incentive program
already in place to reward employees, consider
how it could be re-aligned to support the new
desired behaviors. An incentive program that
rewards employees for the way they currently

work undermines other positive motivations to
change to a new way of working.
The same applies for performance management systems. Employees may resist implementing
changes that hinder their ability to meet their current performance objectives.
For managers in particular, “Misalignment of project goals and
personal incentives” was cited as a primary reason for resisting change.
Participants in the Best Practices in Change Management – 2016 Edition
acknowledged that, “Incentives and metrics that did not align with
promotion parameters or pay/bonus scales, made change unappealing.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
The lack of control and uncertainty over another person’s desire to change can cause some
leaders to disengage from this step in the change process. And yet it is an essential part of

realizing successful change. The actions and words of managers and executive leaders have a
tremendous influence on an employee’s desire to support a business change. Even if managers
and executives cannot dictate the decisions of their employees, they can certainly impact the
process. The most successful change initiatives focus their efforts on the proactive steps that
sponsors and managers can take to minimize resistance and create energy and engagement
around the change.
Before we move on to the next milestone in the Prosci ADKAR Model, it is important to note
that awareness and desire can ebb and flow over the course of a change initiative. New
information or developments may cause an employee with high awareness and desire who
was previously aware and bought in to the change to revert. If this happens, awareness and
desire will need to be re-addressed in light of the new information before the employee can
successfully continue to move forward. While the natural progression is to move on quickly to
building knowledge and ability through training, for a change to be successful, it is absolutely
necessary to re-visit awareness and desire, reinforcing these elements with continued
communication.
In the following eBook Knowledge: How to Effectively Build Knowledge in Individuals, we
explore the next element in the Prosci ADKAR Model.

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www.prosci.com
CONTENTS
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE 4
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING 5
CURRENT LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE 5
CAPABILITY TO LEARN 6
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING 7
TACTICS FOR BUILDING KNOWLEDGE 8
EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS 8
JOB AIDS 10
ONE-ON-ONE COACHING 10
USER GROUPS AND FORUMS 11
FINAL THOUGHTS 11
NEXT STEPS 12
The knowledge that lives within individuals impacted by change enables change success.
Understanding how to change and how to operate in the future state is an essential precursor
to adopting new processes, systems and job roles. When a person has the awareness of the
need for change and the desire to support a change, knowledge is the next building block in
the Prosci® ADKAR ® Model.
The five parts of the Prosci ADKAR Model show the milestones an individual must achieve for
a change to be successful - awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement.
Knowledge is the third milestone. Knowledge represents the information, training and
education necessary to know how to change. Knowledge includes:
• the behaviors and skills
• the processes, tools and systems
• the roles and responsibilities
that each impacted individual needs to implement a change.
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE
Historically, training is the most commonly used vehicle for building knowledge. Many
organizations have a long and rich history with delivering training. Some even have an entire
department dedicated to training. However, training is not the only way to develop knowledge.
The two are not fully synonymous. Informal interactions with colleagues as well as other
formal vehicles like self-paced reference
materials, online resources, super-user
support and job aids all play their part in
ongoing knowledge-building.
From a change management perspective,
there are two aspects of knowledge to
consider when assessing training needs
and designing training programs to build
knowledge:
• Knowledge on how to change: What to do during the transition - this requires training
and education on the skills and behaviors needed to support the change
• Knowledge on how to perform effectively in the future state: Detailed information
on the new roles and responsibilities associated with the change, as well as training and
education on how to use new processes, systems and tools
Both categories of knowledge have to be addressed in an effective change management plan.

In practice, though, they are frequently integrated and addressed with a single plan.
Knowledge-building will only be effective
when an individual has awareness of the
need for change and desire to participate
in the change. Any training activities that
attempt to build knowledge before these
first two milestones have been achieved will
be ineffective. Skipping to knowledge before
awareness has been built or the individual
has chosen to engage in the change process
has many implications for a project’s
success. If employees are not ready to learn or are only participating in training because their
supervisor required their attendance, they will not connect and retain the learning.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING
Three factors impact the successful achievement of the knowledge element of the Prosci
ADKAR Model.
CURRENT LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE
Depending on the starting point, understanding how to change may be a simple process or
may require a huge shift in thinking. For some changes, an individual may already have the
required knowledge from past education or work experience. In other cases, there may be a
large gap between their current knowledge level and the desired knowledge level associated

with operating successfully in the future
state. The size of the knowledge gap will
directly impact the probability of success for
those individuals.
For individuals where the knowledge gap
is considerable, both the individual and
the organization will need to plan for
the significant time and effort needed to
develop the required knowledge. From time
to time, some employees are never able to gain the necessary knowledge to succeed at the
transformation and are faced with the decision to move on.
CAPABILITY TO LEARN
In addition to the knowledge gap that may exist, each of us has a different capacity to learn.
While some people are quick to learn new processes and tools, others may have difficulty
learning technical skills or absorbing new information. Just as learning differences occur in
children or students, the same can be seen in adults during the knowledge-building process.
Adult learning is a complex area and is an essential foundation for developing knowledge in
the workplace. Adults want to know why the topics being taught are important and relevant
to them. If they cannot connect the knowledge offered during training to an immediate
problem, then both attention and retention of knowledge will suffer. Since knowledge comes
after awareness and desire, measures to establish the “why” are hopefully already in place. To
ensure this connection is made, start each learning event with a recap of why the change is
happening.

The format of knowledge-transfer
activities influences how much information
employees retain. Learners remember only
a fraction of what they cover in training.
The highest retention in adults results from
hands-on application of learning to a real
and immediate problem. In many cases,
project teams and change leaders can
benefit from collaborating with professional
training developers and instructors to
support learning initiatives. Well-designed trainings will include both knowledge-transfer and
the practice needed to apply this new knowledge to real situations.
Even if an individual has the capability to learn, they may not have the current capacity to take
on the mental process of learning new skills. Often during times of change, the people who
need to participate in training have so much going on that they either cannot commit the time
to training and practicing or they are unable to focus during the learning events.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The availability of resources varies greatly
from one organization to the next. Some
organizations have extensive resources
and funding to deliver training while other
companies struggle to provide structured
education to support a change. Resource
constraints could include the availability
of subject matter experts, instructors,

classroom facilities, books and materials, equipment and systems for student use, and funding to
support the overall training program.
For some desired changes, the specific knowledge may not be immediately accessible or may
not even exist yet at the time it is ideally needed. Inadequate resources and a lack of access to
the necessary information will negatively impact knowledge-building.
TACTICS FOR BUILDING KNOWLEDGE
The changes your organization is facing are unique. Each change usually requires its own
specific combination of different learning tactics to truly achieve knowledge in impacted
individuals. The following four tactics have emerged from our research as the most impactful
during times of change and should be combined as needed depending on the unique details of
the change at hand.
EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Properly designed and professionally
delivered formal training programs are an
essential channel for building knowledge
in most changes. Since the highest form of
retention results from hands-on application
of learning to an immediate problem,
training programs should include hands-on
activities and demonstrations with less focus
on theory, reading or lectures.

Video programs, webinars and other multimedia programs are great ways to convey concepts
and develop knowledge; however, retention around tools and processes will be highest when
these tools are discussed and applied during the learning program.
Effective training programs give consideration to the precise knowledge required for a
group or individual to operate successfully in the future state. Completing an assessment of
knowledge gaps between the current state and the desired future state provides direct input
into how to tailor and configure the most impactful training content. A gap analysis reveals
which knowledge, skills and behaviors are missing and need to be built. A useful technique for
assessing the knowledge gap is to work with HR to write new job descriptions for employees,
detailing the knowledge and skills needed to perform the role, both during the transition and
in the future state.
It is also important to understand the knowledge required during the transition process.
Changes do not happen immediately. Many times, old processes and systems may need to be
used concurrently with the new processes and systems. Interim processes and beta versions
of tools may have different steps than the
final end state. Training programs should
therefore address both how to operate in
the future state and how to transition to a
new way of doing work.
One last consideration is the timing of
training and knowledge-building activities.
Retention of learning declines rapidly over
time, especially if it is not used or applied
right away. On the other hand, employees impacted by change also need time to develop some
measure of ability (the next element of the Prosci ADKAR Model) before the go-live of the
change, too. Training needs to be timed carefully:

• Training too far away from the go-live may mean knowledge goes unused and is lost
• Training too close to the change may not give sufficient time to practice and develop basic
proficiency before employees are expected to demonstrate new skills in their daily work
Ideally, training will occur as close to go-live as possible to still allow for practice and
proficiency-building before implementation.
JOB AIDS
Many types of knowledge content go beyond what people can easily remember. Job aids and
reference guides that serve as knowledge-building resources beyond formal training include
checklists and templates, online help files and scripts. They may be in the form of help or
troubleshooting functions integrated into system software, internal wikis, or quick-reference
cards. Job aids enable employees to reinforce learning on the job and follow more complex
procedures in real time. They are most effective when they are available on-demand and just-
in-time.
ONE-ON-ONE COACHING
Even with the most effective training programs, many employees will need one-on-one
coaching. Individuals learn in different ways and at different paces. With one-on-one coaching,
a trainer can provide customized education based on the unique obstacles faced by each
individual. In some cases the barrier points may not even be related to the subject content but
are rather a unique personal obstacle.
If there is a long period of time between employees taking the training course and
implementing the change, one-on-one coaching and on-the-job instruction will provide real
time reinforcement of knowledge at the time of implementation. As employees engage in

day-to-day work, gaps will also emerge that
were not covered in the training; one-on-one
coaching ensures that an expert is on hand to
answer any questions and fill in the gaps.
Coaching is often provided by the employee’s
direct supervisor or a subject matter expert.
For one-on-one coaching to be a success,
supervisors or designated mentors must be
equipped in this capacity. Take time to ensure the coaches have built their own expertise in
the technical subject matter and in effective coaching tactics.
USER GROUPS AND FORUMS
Learning from peers can be very powerful as employees readily relate to the experiences
and challenges of their fellow employees. By designating change agents and super users,
employees who have mastered new skills can share their knowledge about new systems,
tools and processes and assist other employees through similar transitions. User groups and
forums allow peers to share lessons learned and provide an ongoing education process to
complement what is learned in training. User groups and forums also capitalize on experiential
learning, which is very effective for adult learners.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Developing a solid knowledge foundation for a change requires a combination of activities
that enable a person to learn in a way that is most effective for them. These activities should

include formal training and education programs, job aids available to employees as they are
applying knowledge back on the job, one-on-one coaching from supervisors or subject matter
experts, and effective peer mentoring from user groups and forums. Using these techniques
together ensures that employees develop and apply their knowledge and are supported
throughout the change process.
Without the holistic lens of the Prosci ADKAR Model, teams can easily fall into the trap
of simply sending employees to training when a change is being introduced. This rarely
drives successful change. And worse, it can often have negative and lasting impacts on the
employees that must bring a change to life in their day-to-day work.
Training is critical, but training by itself is not the answer. To be effective, training must occur
in the context of all five milestones of individual change –offered only once an individual
understands why a change is happening, wants to engage in the change process, and is
seeking knowledge to help them be successful. Knowledge-building is an ongoing process.
It must extend beyond formal training events in the form of coaching, mentors, aids and
additional support. Any conflicting demands that prevent an employee from fully engaging
in training and building knowledge will reduce the success of the knowledge outcome. Be
deliberate and provide sufficient time for learning and mastering new skills.
NEXT STEPS
An assumption made by many is that knowledge automatically leads to ability. This is especially
evident in cases where training is used as the primary change management tool or activity. It
is a mistake to think that there is not a difference between having the knowledge of how to do
something and being able to succeed at doing it.
While knowledge represents the cognitive understanding of specific information about

the change, as well as an intellectual understanding about how to change, ability is the
demonstrated capability to implement the change.
In Ability: How to Foster Ability to Implement a Change, we look at the transformation of
knowledge into action to achieve desired performance within the organization. We will explore
the best practices for transferring knowledge into ability.

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www.prosci.com
CONTENTS
THE TRANSITION FROM KNOWLEDGE TO ABILITY 4
TACTICS FOR FOSTERING ABILITY 4
DAY-TO-DAY INVOLVEMENT OF MANAGERS 5
ACCESS TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS 6
HANDS-ON EXERCISES DURING TRAINING 6
ADOPTION AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING 7
POTENTIAL RESISTING FORCES AND CHALLENGES 7
PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOCKS 7
THE FORCE OF HABIT 8
LIMITATIONS IN PHYSICAL OR INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY 9
TIME AND PRIORITIES 9
THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES 10
FINAL THOUGHTS 10
In an individual’s change process, results and outcomes first emerge at the ability stage.
New behaviors are successfully achieved and the future state starts to take shape. With
demonstrated ability, change is realized.
The five parts of the Prosci® ADKAR ® Model show the milestones an individual must achieve
for a change to be successful - awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. Ability
is the fourth milestone.
Ability is turning knowledge into action. Ability means tangibly demonstrating the application
of intellectual understanding in a real-world environment. Change leaders impact project
success by intentionally providing time, resources and coaching to help impacted employees
develop new skills and behaviors.
THE TRANSITION FROM KNOWLEDGE TO ABILITY
There is a discrete difference between knowing how to do something and being able to do it.
In fact, the gap between knowledge and ability can often be quite large. Athletics provide one
of the clearest examples of this gap. Understanding the strategy and mechanics for running
one mile in under four minutes is attainable for most people. Only a very small percentage
of the population will ever have the ability to successfully execute that feat. The presence
of knowledge of how to change by itself is often insufficient to fully realize new behaviors
proficiently.
Ensure that in addition to training that imparts

knowledge, employees are also given sufficient
time and tools for developing their own
abilities. In order to successfully build new
skills and behaviors, most employees do best
in a supportive environment where they can
practice and where it is safe to make mistakes.
Building ability is an individualized process.
The time and steps involved will vary from person to person. Some individuals will fall naturally
into the new way of work, while others may not adjust with the same ease.
TACTICS FOR FOSTERING ABILITY
As a change leader, there are a variety of tactics you can employ to help individuals
successfully develop the abilities they need to succeed and thrive in their changing

environment. Effective ability-building tactics from Prosci’s benchmarking research include the
following:
DAY-TO-DAY INVOLVEMENT OF MANAGERS
The direct managers and supervisors of
employees impacted by change play an
important role as coaches and advocates
for change. Managers are often closest to
the employees and therefore the best line
of defense and support for their teams as
a change nears implementation. They are
problem solvers and supporters, teaching
and mentoring on the job.
As it relates to ability, supervisors must be able to:
• Provide one-on-one coaching of employees who are implementing new processes,
tools and job roles, effectively providing hands-on demonstrations and role-modeling
the desired ability. Supervisors must be suitably trained and experienced in the change
themselves and be on hand to answer any questions relating to the change as they arise.
• Establish a safe, supportive environment where employees can develop their new skills
and practice new behaviors. Effective managers encourage and support employees while
providing feedback and direction. Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process.
• Create feedback channels to identify gaps in processes or tools. Establishing a clear
way for employees to provide feedback will ensure a supervisor can quickly learn of
any problems related to the change and communicate them to the project and change
management teams.

One-on-one coaching will help supervisors identify any gaps, whether they are related to the
ability of the employee or to a process, tool or system. If a supervisor is not present during
this crucial phase, an employee who experiences difficulty may be more likely to abandon the
learning process, revert to old behaviors or create work-arounds for performing the task.
ACCESS TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
Subject matter experts are also key resources
in supporting and fostering ability. Experts
or experienced employees can help by
providing additional knowledge and by offering
assistance if the question at hand is beyond
the knowledge of the employee and their
supervisor. Some companies will set up a help
desk where employees can call with questions;
other companies will provide the names and
contact information for mentors or subject matter experts. The key to making this work is
letting employees know where they can go to get help.
HANDS-ON EXERCISES DURING TRAINING
Effectively designed training programs should include hands-on activities that allow employees to
test their new-found knowledge in different work scenarios. Role-plays, simulations and actual hands-
on work with new tools and processes can greatly accelerate the process of developing abilities.
Employees will feel more confident implementing a change if they have first been given the
opportunity to practice what they have learned in a safe and controlled environment.

ADOPTION AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING
Employees need feedback on what they are doing well and what areas they need to improve.
Equally, the organization needs to know if people are adopting the change as designed and
if the implementation is going according to
plan. While employees are in the process of
developing ability, it is essential to measure
and assess their adoption and proficiency.
Measuring adoption and performance provides
critical information to the organization.
Assessments provide information on where the
change is succeeding so new behaviors can be
recognized and reinforced. They also provide
information about where the change is not succeeding so that corrective action and special
tactics can be applied in those areas.
POTENTIAL RESISTING FORCES AND CHALLENGES
Resisting forces and challenges may arise during ability-building. Below are several common
factors that can impact a person’s ability to implement change:
PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOCKS
Each individual has their own set of different psychological barriers to overcome. Some
employees may have a lot of self-doubt relating to a particular change because of their past

experiences or unique fears. They may be
uncertain if they can really make a change
happen or wonder if they will ever be able to
develop the required abilities. Psychological
barriers to change are complex and while
their effect can be recognized, the solution
for handling and overcoming them is often
personal and not always straightforward.
Public speaking is a common example of how a psychological block can prevent individuals
from demonstrating their full potential. For some people the fear of speaking in public can be
paralyzing. Others will reflect back on their performance with frustration, aware that nerves
prevented them from performing at their best. For a lucky few, there is no fear whatsoever.
THE FORCE OF HABIT
Humans are physiologically wired for habit. The development of new skills and the breaking
of old habits requires the development of new neural pathways in the brain. The more that
existing habits directly contradict new skills, the greater the barrier to developing ability.
Fighting these old habits can become very
frustrating. It can even reduce previously
felt awareness of the need for the change
and desire to participate in the change.
Understanding that people are wired to
revert to old habits impacts how we approach
fostering ability. Have patience, expect
efficiency dips and allow time as people work
to build new habits.

LIMITATIONS IN PHYSICAL OR INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY
Sometimes physical or intellectual limitations will impact the speed or proficiency at which
an individual can demonstrate a new skill. In the workplace, physical limitations may include
strength, physical agility, manual dexterity, physical size and hand-eye coordination. For example,
a tremendous amount of effort may be required for an individual with limited dexterity or
arthritis to meet the performance level required by a new keyboard-based technology solution.
All individuals also possess unique skills that fall on spectrums of intellectual ability. While
some individuals have a talent for finance and math, others may excel in innovation and
creativity. Depending on the nature of the change, some individuals may have mental barriers
to implementing the change. For example, a change that requires analytical skills may present
an intellectual barrier to an individual who is unable to develop the required abilities around
problem-solving and data analysis. Alternatively, a change that requires employees to utilize
emotional or social intelligence may stretch analytical problem solvers beyond their natural
capabilities.
TIME AND PRIORITIES
Time is a precious commodity in the
demanding pace of businesses today. When
competing priorities and essential business
operations dominate an employee’s work
schedule, it can be a challenge to provide
the time needed to build ability in a new skill.
Often the time frame for implementing change
is driven by external factors (outside of the
control of managers and supervisors). If an

individual cannot develop the required abilities in the needed time frame, the change could
fail, even if the individual has the potential to develop these abilities if given more time. Change
leaders must leverage a coalition of sponsors across the organization to define the importance
of the change and help remove barriers of time and priority.
THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES
Resources that support ability-building include financial support, personal coaching, and
access to mentors and subject matter experts. Properly functioning tools, technology and
materials are also essential to many change initiatives. When these resources are not available
or not operating effectively, an individual’s ability to perform can be compromised.
During this developmental period, the availability of the right resources greatly enhances the
development of new skills and abilities. Providing structured support for an individual during
this stage not only promotes the cultivation of new skills, it can also address knowledge gaps
that reveal themselves once the change is underway.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We have explored the difference between knowledge and ability and looked at the most
effective ways to support and assist employees as they are building ability. We have also
explored potential factors that might prevent a person from developing ability.
Ability is not equivalent to knowledge. It is not the automatic result of training. After providing
knowledge through well-designed training, change leaders must also ensure that employees
are given sufficient tools for building their own ability and sufficient time to develop the new
skills and behaviors required by the change.

Ultimately, ability is the demonstrated actions that allow true change to be realized at both the
individual and the organizational level. Building ability requires hard work and practice from
individuals who need to perform differently in a future state. Our role as change leaders is
to enable this process by providing the support and resources required to make the change
possible.
True and lasting change does not end with ability, however. Humans are hard-wired to revert
back to our old way of doing things. The final eBook of the ADKAR series discusses the fifth and
last milestone of the Prosci ADKAR Model: Reinforcement: How to Sustain a Change.

LEARN MORE
+1 970 203 9332

www.prosci.com
CONTENTS
BUILDING REINFORCEMENT 4
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE REINFORCEMENT 5
THE DEGREE TO WHICH REINFORCEMENT IS MEANINGFUL 5
ASSOCIATION OF REINFORCEMENT WITH DEMONSTRATED PROGRESS OR 6
ACHIEVEMENT
THE ABSENCE OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES 6
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS TO REINFORCE THE CHANGE 7
TACTICS FOR BUILDING REINFORCEMENT 8
CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITION 8
REWARDS 9
FEEDBACK FROM EMPLOYEES 10
AUDITS AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 10
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS 11
FINAL THOUGHTS 12
Many organizations invest significant time and energy in building the necessary awareness,
desire, knowledge and ability for a change to be successful, yet overlook the final milestone
- reinforcement. Once a change is finished, the tendency is to immediately move on to the
next task. As a result reinforcement efforts can often fall short and there is a risk of not fully
realizing the expected results. For a change to deliver the expected results over time, it must
be actively sustained.
The five parts of the Prosci ADKAR ® Model show the milestones an individual must achieve
Reinforcement is the final milestone and it is critical. While making a change is hard,
sustaining a change over the long term is even more difficult. It is a natural human tendency
to revert back to what we know. Emerging brain function research suggests that we are
physiologically wired to return to the most comfortable and familiar state.
Reinforcement in the Prosci ADKAR Model represents the internal and external factors
that serve to sustain a change. It includes intentional actions such as recognitions, rewards,
and celebrations that are tied to the realization of the change, as well as a person’s internal
satisfaction with his or her achievement.
Effective reinforcement serves three purposes:
• To sustain the change and prevent individuals from slipping back into old ways of doing work
• To build momentum during the transition from the current state to the future state
• To create a history of successful and sustained change that increases agility for future changes.
BUILDING REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcement includes any action or event that strengthens and reinforces the change with an
individual or organization. It can be public group celebrations of success, visible performance
measurement, and individual corrective feedback. At the simplest level reinforcement can be a
personal acknowledgement of an individual’s progress and achievement, which is often cited as
the most meaningful way to recognize an individual for their contribution.
Although reinforcement is the final element
of the ADKAR Model, it can and must be
present throughout the change process.
Using reinforcement to build momentum
during a change increases the probability
that objectives will be met. At the beginning
of an initiative, when change is new and
the challenges are greatest, seeking out

opportunities to celebrate the small successes can be tremendously impactful. Once the
desired outcome has been achieved, continued reinforcement of the change will cement the
change into the organization’s culture and way of working.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE REINFORCEMENT
Whether a change will be sustained over the long term or not is impacted by a variety of
dynamics beyond the reinforcement tactics themselves. Below we explore the factors that
contribute to the effectiveness of reinforcement activities.
THE DEGREE TO WHICH REINFORCEMENT IS MEANINGFUL
The most effective reinforcement technique is dependent on the person and the situation.
When recognition and rewards are meaningful to the recipient, they understandably have a
more significant impact.
If the individual being recognized feels that the reward is relevant, it will go a great way
towards motivating them to continue supporting the change. Conversely, if the recognition or
rewards take a form that is irrelevant to the individual, the reinforcement could have no effect
or the opposite effect.
To be meaningful, recognition is best delivered by someone the individual respects. An
individual’s direct manager is often the best sender of this message.

ASSOCIATION OF REINFORCEMENT WITH DEMONSTRATED PROGRESS OR
ACHIEVEMENT
When an individual has successfully made progress toward change, recognition strengthens
their desire to continue. It reinforces that the change is important and that their efforts are
appreciated. If on the other hand, an employee has struggled to make a change and nobody
has noticed, the individual’s desire to participate in the change is likely to diminish. Without
reinforcement and recognition for their efforts and accomplishments they may even seek out
ways to avoid the change and revert to old behaviors.
Rewards and recognition should only be used in the presence of actual demonstrated
progress and achievements, however. If a reward or recognition is offered in the absence
of achievement, it will not feel meaningful to the individual and will reduce the value of the
recognition, both now and in the future. Individuals want to be acknowledged for meaningful
contributions.
THE ABSENCE OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
Negative pressures within the
work environment can be powerful
reinforcements in the wrong direction.
Long-term sustainment of change is put at
risk when an individual demonstrates the
desired behavior and experiences negative
consequences for doing so. Peer pressure
and group dynamics play an impactful role
in change. While some employees take
steps to support and implement the change, others may resist and apply peer pressure to

their co-workers to do the same. If the group environment emphasizes continuing to work in
the old way, the negative social consequence of supporting the change can become a barrier
to change.
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS TO REINFORCE THE CHANGE
One of the strongest forms of reinforcement is accountability. In a personal change like,
accountability could include a workout buddy counting on you to show up for a 5:30am
training session, a personal trainer to keep you motivated, and regular check-ups with a
healthcare professional to monitor your progress.
Similar accountability mechanisms
should be part of change management
planning. In the workplace, accountability
systems can be tied to job performance
and measurements, where the results of
a change become visible and on-going.
Publically visible performance scoreboards
are a great way to positively reinforce
change and show compliance to a new
process. The change is more likely to stick when individuals can monitor the achievement of
goals or objectives.
When no accountability system is in place to monitor and sustain progress, employees may
revert to old behaviors. If this happens and no corrective action is taken, two things may
happen. First the employees may consider that the change is no longer important, and second,
any proposed changes in the future may not be taken seriously.

TACTICS FOR BUILDING REINFORCEMENT
The most effective tactics for reinforcing and sustaining change are dependent on the
individual and the situation. The best reinforcements are those that are meaningful to
the individuals and groups being recognized. For some it will be a personal expression of
appreciation, for others active and visible reinforcement from leadership will be most effective.
Below we explore some of the most common reinforcement tactics:
CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITION
One of the most commonly cited tactics for
reinforcing change is celebrating successes
and recognizing meaningful contributions
to change. In addition to celebrating the
achievement of the desired outcome,
change leaders should also be looking to
recognize the short-term successes that
build momentum, energy and enthusiasm
around the change, especially those near
the beginning. Exaggerated recognition of these early successes can actually be helpful in
reaffirming the desired behavior.
Meaningful recognition can be private or public:
• Private or informal one-on-one conversations can be very effective at acknowledging both
achievement of results and the effort expended by the individual making the change.
Directly thanking the employee for their support and hard work throughout the change
process is often the most meaningful way to express appreciation.

• Formal public recognitions can be very useful in the early stages of change for creating clear
role models for change while acknowledging outstanding performance. This method must
be considered carefully as it could offend employees who are not selected for recognition,
but feel they have contributed as much or more than the individuals being recognized.
Project-sponsored celebrations with employees are also a great way to mark key milestones
associated with the change. Change leaders should seek out activities or events that are
fun for the group and serve to strengthen commitment to the change, which could include
anything from a celebratory lunch to a sporting activity or group outing.
Managers and supervisors play a key role in recognizing and rewarding the hard work and contributions
of employees. Managers are ideally positioned to recognize the efforts and achievements of their direct
reports, both during the change process and after change has been implemented.
Primary sponsors are also key to sustaining change by publically recognizing the progress and
accomplishment of key phases of the change and the hard work of the individuals. This positive
message of change reinforcement must be delivered with as much vigor as when the change
was first introduced.
REWARDS
Rewards can be used to reinforce
change when they are triggered as
the result of employees meeting
identified performance measurements.
Rewards serve the purpose to affirm
and compensate for attaining defined
accomplishment. Rewards can be
structured for individual or group

achievements. They can be monetary, but do not need to be in all cases. The important factor
to consider is what will be meaningful to the individual(s) being rewarded. If a reward or bonus
is offered to build motivation early in the change process, it is critical to follow through with
that commitment when the performance objective is met. The best way to present a reward is
to accompany it with recognition of the individual’s hard-work and unique contributions.
FEEDBACK FROM EMPLOYEES
To evaluate whether your change management activities are accomplishing their intended
goals it is necessary to solicit feedback from impacted employees. Simply asking employees
how they are doing with the change allows them to articulate their progress and identify
their pain points. Seek feedback through interviews, focus groups and surveys. The ADKAR
Dashboard is an excellent survey tool for measuring and tracking impacted individuals and
groups through the change journey. Whichever tools and channels you use, this feedback
helps the project team to better understand where the change is taking hold as planned and
where the change is struggling.
AUDITS AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Reinforcement also includes utilizing measurement systems and ongoing evaluations of
progress. Conducting formal assessments and analyzing performance data allows a change
leader to know if a change is taking hold. Usage ata, process check lists, and data from other
outputs of the new way of working provide an understanding how employees are using
new systems and tools and their level of proficiency. When constructed well, performance
audits will tell you what percentage of employees are engaging with the change, how many
employees are struggling to adapt to a new way of working, and what the possible root causes
may be if adoption rate is low.

Compliance audits and performance measurements assessments should not be viewed as
negative activities. They are essential tools for the change manager and project team and
provide valuable information on where to take corrective action and provide more support.
These measurement systems will also highlight where a change is being adopted and
implemented with success, so that you can recognize and celebrate this progress, creating
more energy and enthusiasm around the change.
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS
Building accountability mechanisms into the normal day-to-day operations of the business
provides ongoing reinforcement. If a change is implemented and no associated changes
are made to performance evaluation programs or compensation systems, the change will
lack accountability. Building accountability into the structure of the business also transfers
ownership from the project team on to operational leaders and managers, who assume

responsibility for the change and its ongoing success. Accountability must reside with the day-
to-day operations and the associated managers and leaders in the business if a change is to
be successfully sustained over the long term.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Prosci ADKAR Model defines the milestones an individual must achieve for a change to
be successful - awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. Reinforcing change is
as critical to change success as the early communications to build awareness of the need for
change.
Reinforcements can be actions, words, or rewards that are meaningful to the person or
group being recognized; events, accountability systems, audits, feedback from employees,
performance measurement systems, meaningful rewards, and celebrations of both progress
and the ultimate realization of the desired outcome.
For a change to deliver the expected results over time it must be sustained. Reinforcement
mechanisms must be in place. The biggest mistake change leaders make is simply overlooking
or forgetting this step, often due to other tasks taking priority.
To establish an organization that is change
agile and change ready, reinforce the change
you have already achieved and then build
upon this success. Use reinforcement tactics
that fit your organization’s culture. Find the
mechanisms that are meaningful to those
who have to change their behavior.

Work to establish a positive history of change where employees receive feedback, are directed
towards corrective actions when necessary, and acknowledged and rewarded for their efforts
and achievements. If your company has a negative track record of sustaining change, consider
which elements of reinforcement you can incorporate into current and future changes to
improve this history of change and the success of change initiatives. Having this final element
of the Prosci ADKAR Model in place is essential and will contribute greatly to your future
change success.

LEARN MORE
+1 970 203 9332

www.prosci.com

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WHY THE ADKAR MODEL? 3

UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL 3

USING ADKAR WITH TRADITIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES 4

FRAMEWORK OF A CHANGE INITIATIVE 6

THE BUSINESS DIMENSION OF CHANGE 7

THE PEOPLE DIMENSION OF CHANGE 7

HOW TO USE THE ADKAR MODEL 8

THE ADKAR MODEL IN A PERSONAL CHANGE 8

THE ADKAR MODEL IN AN ORGANIZATION 10

THE POWER OF ADKAR FOR MANAGING CHANGE 13

ADKAR EXERCISE - IMPLEMENTING THE ADKAR MODEL 14

APPLYING THE ADKAR ASSESSMENT RESULTS 16

UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

leaders who want to motivate change in others.

organizational results collectively.

through each of the milestones, starting with awareness.

communication and training in achieving desired organizational change results.

USING ADKAR WITH TRADITIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

clear goals for these activities.

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 4

1. Awareness of the business reasons for change. Awareness is a goal/outcome of early

communications related to an organizational change.

2. Desire to engage and participate in the change. Desire is a goal/outcome of sponsorship

and resistance management.

3. Knowledge about how to change. Knowledge is a goal/outcome of training and coaching.

goal/outcome of additional coaching, practice and time.

5. Reinforcement to ensure change sticks. Reinforcement is a goal/outcome of adoption

measurement, corrective actions and recognition of successful change.

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 5

The ADKAR Model is useful in:

• Diagnosing employee resistance to change

• Helping employees transition through the change process

• Developing a change management plan for your employees

disciplines with a common purpose of producing results and outcomes.

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 6

• Identify a business need or opportunity

• Define the project (scope and objectives)

• Develop the new processes and systems

• Implement the solution into the organization

THE PEOPLE DIMENSION OF CHANGE

project failure is problems with the people side of change.

• Awareness of the need for change

• Desire to participate and support the change

• Knowledge of how to change

• Ability to implement the change on a day-to-day basis

• Reinforcement to keep the change in place

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 7

THE ADKAR MODEL IN A PERSONAL CHANGE

preventing disease and reducing stress.

• Desire: do you have the personal motivation

to start exercising? A lot of people are aware of

the need to exercise but might not have found

the personal desire to start. Desire is a very

individual concept. Your motivation may be that

you want to lose weight to better keep up with

your kids; or you have a need for more physical

strength at work; or maybe you’re looking for

a way to reduce anxiety. Regardless of what

your motivation is, you must make a personal

decision to make this change, based on your

own unique motivations.

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 8

effectively change, you need to know how.