I almost forgot to write this blog, but then I remembered the final element of the Prosci ADKAR® (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) Change Management model. It’s reinforcement that rounds out the ADKAR model and ensures that a change is permanent. 

Reinforce is a versatile word—it can describe both physical and intellectual actions. For example; to long for, or miss someone may reinforce feelings of affection; to fortify or strengthen a building reinforces its structural integrity; to reiterate or repeat can reinforce a stated position. According to Prosci, reinforce means to review and revisit in order to ensure a change is taking hold. The greatest risk associated with a lack of reinforcement is a person or group that reverts to old behaviors. In order to gauge this, these three actions must be performed: 

1. Collect and analyze feedback
2. Diagnose gaps and manage resistance
3. Implement necessary corrective actions

In Bluewolf’s Change Management and Learning department, we conduct strategized and custom exercises to help our clients reinforce their organizational change. One of the approaches we use in our post-implementation support is what my team and I call an Adoption Assessment. In this process, Bluewolf meets with the client project team after a change is complete and at 30/60/90 day intervals. Together, we review adoption success metrics, conduct a brief gap analysis, and share best practices for the continued improvement of adoption. In fact, celebrating successes with recognition and rewards programs can help further sustain the change. The inherent strategic value here is to ensure constant and consistent contact with the client in order to support long-term success and upward trending user adoption. On the other hand, omitting a post-implementation assessment such as this can increase the risk of an organization building unhealthy habits. 

Our goal at Bluewolf is to enable our clients to be self-sufficient in future change projects. Barriers to any change project can be overcome swiftly through reinforcement and the exposure of post-implementation support like an Adoption Assessment. 

As the fifth and final element, it also completes the ADKAR Change Management model, signaling ongoing ROI for your business. 

 

In case you missed my last blog post, 5 Keys to Effective Change Management: Ability, you can find it here. Stay tuned, as I’ll be concluding the series with a wrap-up of all five keys. 

Do you have questions about change management? Connect with me on Linkedin and Twitter, at @kjvisconti.