ADKAR Flashcards
What is the definition of ADKAR?
ADKAR was developed by Jeff Hiatt in 1998. It is used to identify what change is required in an organisation and how to drive this change.
What does ADKAR stand for?
AWARENESS of the need to change.
DESIRE to participate and support the change.
KNOWLEDGE on how to change.
ABILITY to implement the required skills and behaviour.
REINFORCEMENT to sustain the change.
What does awareness of the need to change mean?
Awareness of the need to change requires time and resources so that each employee in the organisation is mindful of how and why the change will benefit both the individual and the business.
Communication is therefore essential.
What factors will impact the awareness of the need to change?
- The individual’s perception of the situation.
- Trust and respect of the people making the changes.
- Available information to make an informed decision.
What does desire to participate and support the change mean?
Employees must have the desire to participate in the change. There is often resistance to change.
How can you overcome a lack of desire to participate and support the change?
In order to overcome this, a direct supervisor can use their close relationship to overcome resistance by showing how the change can benefit the employee to turn resistance into desire. This can be achieved by building rewards for the individual into the change, creating a desire for it to go ahead.
What does knowledge on how to change mean?
Employees must have the knowledge to be able to make the change. They will require a strong understanding of their new roles and responsibilities and how these will be undertaken. This is a continuous process as employees will need to be trained and educated in order to learn knowledge on how to change during the move and how to perform after the change has been implemented.
What does the ability to implement the required skills and behaviour mean?
Employees must have the ability to make the change in the workplace. This might require on-the-job training and ongoing training to ensure the employee has mastered the requirements. This will take time and resources but is significant in ensuring that the change will take place.
What does reinforcement to sustain the change mean?
The organisation must have systems in place to ensure the employee doesn’t revert to old workplace practices. Monitoring and review systems can identify areas where the change is not being followed appropriately.
What is Kotter and Schlesinger’s model for overcoming resistance to change? What are the 6 points?
1) Education and communication - Honest communication about the proposed actions to help address misconceptions about the change.
2) Negotiation and agreement - Gives people who resist an incentive to change (perhaps through offering financial rewards for those who accept the change).
3) Facilitation and support - (Kotter and Schlesinger identified ‘adjustment problems’ during change - most will need support to help them cope with change.
4) Participation and involvement - Involvement in a change programme can be an effective way of bringing ‘on board’ people who would otherwise resist.
5) Manipulation and co-option - Co-option involves bringing specific individual into roles that are part of change management. Manipulation involves the selective use of information to encourage people to behave a certain way.
6) Explicit and implied coercion - this approach is “last resort”. It involves people being told exactly what the implications of resisting change are - this can damage trust.
