Change Management (CM) is a hot-button topic in organizations, spanning industries across the world. The concept has joined the club of recent buzzwords heard in passing conversations, read in daily trade publications, and observed in department formations in both new and established companies. While the name may be ubiquitous, the definition, however, is not—and a true understanding behind Change Management methodology is even more elusive.  

 

My team and I recently became certified Change Practitioners in the Prosci 3-Phase Change Management Methodology. Although only one of many change-centric institutions currently populating the field, what makes Prosci unique is its focus on the ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) approach. ADKAR is a distinctive method that concentrates on uncovering barriers that affect the human aspect of change. Ultimately, ADKAR works toward overcoming people’s resistance to achieving successful and specific end results—including increased ROI and meeting or exceeding project objectives. 

 

Over the course of the next seven entries, this blog series will employ various definitions of Change Management while methodically detailing each of the five steps that complete the ADKAR model. By using examples to elucidate each step, readers will learn how to apply CM to real-life experiences, and see how, when implemented successfully, this skillset can compliment both professional and personal change.  

 

Loose coins flutter around in our pockets and jangle in our bags—and just like change in an organization, they can become heavy, noisy, and amount to little when not combined appropriately. But, when presented through the strategic framework of the ADKAR model, it is possible to make dollars out of change that can profit your corporate practice as well as your personal piggy bank.

 

Let's take a deeper look at the first step in the ADKAR model, Awareness.