Change is messy. You've probably seen it: a company buys a shiny new software suite, the CEO sends an all-staff email full of buzzwords about "synergy," and three months later, everyone is still using their old Excel spreadsheets. It's frustrating. It's expensive. And honestly, it's usually avoidable.
The problem isn't the technology or the strategy. It's the people. Humans are hardwired to resist disruption, which is why the change management ADKAR model has become the go-to framework for leaders who actually want their projects to stick. Created by Jeff Hiatt, the founder of Prosci, after studying more than 700 companies, ADKAR isn't some theoretical academic paper. It's a survival guide for the corporate world.
Most people think change is a top-down event. It isn't. Change happens one person at a time. If you can’t get the guy in accounting and the woman in sales to shift how they work, your "digital transformation" is just an expensive hallucination.
What is the Change Management ADKAR Model, Anyway?
ADKAR is an acronym. It stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. It’s a linear journey. Think of it like a staircase; you can’t effectively jump to the fourth step if you haven’t planted your feet on the first three.
Usually, managers start at the "Knowledge" phase. They send out a training manual. "Here is how you use the new CRM," they say. But if the employees don't have Awareness of why the old system is dying, or the Desire to actually switch, they’ll ignore the manual. It’ll sit in their inbox, unread, while they complain at the water cooler.
Breaking Down the Stages
First, there is Awareness. This isn't just knowing that a change is happening. It's understanding why. If I tell you we're moving offices, you're annoyed. If I tell you the current building has a structural flaw and the lease is up, you understand.
Then comes Desire. This is the hardest part. You can't force desire. You have to answer the "What's in it for me?" (WIIFM). If a salesperson realizes the new tool will automate their boring data entry and let them spend more time actually selling and making commission, they’ll want it. Without that personal hook, you're just pushing a boulder uphill.
Knowledge is the "how-to." Training. Workshops. One-on-one coaching. But it only works if the first two steps are solid.
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Ability is different from knowledge. I can watch a thousand videos on how to juggle—that’s knowledge. But until I pick up the balls and practice, I don't have the ability. In a business context, this means giving people the time and resources to actually practice the new way of working without getting fired for making mistakes.
Finally, Reinforcement. This is where most projects die. Once the "Go-Live" date passes, leadership moves on to the next big thing. If you don't reward the new behavior or monitor the old one, people will revert to what’s comfortable. It's human nature.
The Psychology of Resistance
Why do we hate change?
Neurologically, our brains treat change like a physical threat. The amygdala kicks in. We go into fight-or-flight mode. Jeff Hiatt’s research showed that the number one reason for project failure wasn't technical—it was the "people side" of the equation.
I once worked with a logistics firm that tried to implement a new routing system. The software was brilliant. It saved 15% on fuel costs. But the drivers hated it. Why? Because they felt it was "Big Brother" watching them. The leadership hadn't built Awareness around the safety benefits or the Desire through performance bonuses. They just gave them the tablets (Knowledge) and expected them to drive. The drivers "lost" the tablets. They "forgot" to charge them. The project failed within six months.
That’s a classic ADKAR failure. They skipped the foundation.
Why Awareness and Desire Aren't the Same Thing
You can be aware that smoking is bad for you (Awareness) but have zero Desire to quit.
In the change management ADKAR model, companies often confuse these two. A CEO might give a big speech about "market volatility" and "the need for agility." The employees are now aware. They know the company is struggling. But do they want to work 10 hours a week more to fix it? Not necessarily.
Desire is emotional. It requires trust. If employees don't trust the leadership, they won't have the desire to follow them into the fire. Prosci’s research consistently shows that the "primary sponsor" of a change—usually a high-level executive—is the biggest factor in whether people buy in. If that person is invisible or untrusted, the ADKAR chain breaks at the second link.
Implementation: Moving Beyond the Theory
So, how do you actually use this?
Stop treating your employees like a monolithic block. People move through ADKAR at different speeds. Your "early adopters" might hit the Ability stage in a week. Your "laggards" might still be stuck at Awareness.
A smart manager uses ADKAR as a diagnostic tool. If a project is stalling, ask yourself: Where is the gap?
- If people are asking "Why are we doing this?" -> Awareness Gap.
- If people are saying "I'm not doing this, it's a waste of time" -> Desire Gap.
- If people are saying "I don't know how to do this" -> Knowledge Gap.
- If people are saying "I'm trying, but I can't keep up" -> Ability Gap.
- If people are saying "We used to do it better the old way" -> Reinforcement Gap.
Once you identify the gap, you stop shouting and start solving the specific problem. You don't give more training (Knowledge) to someone who doesn't want to change (Desire). That's a waste of everyone's time.
Common Pitfalls in the ADKAR Process
One of the biggest mistakes is the "Communication equals Awareness" fallacy. Just because you sent the email doesn't mean they understood the message. Awareness is about internalizing the risk of not changing.
Another trap? Training too early.
If you train people three months before a system goes live, they’ll forget everything by the time they actually need to use it. This creates a Knowledge gap right at the moment of truth. Knowledge should be "just in time," not "just in case."
Then there's the Reinforcement problem. We tend to celebrate the start of a project. We have a "kick-off" party with pizza. But where is the party six months later when the new habits are actually ingrained? In many organizations, the only reinforcement is negative—people only hear something if they mess up. That's a recipe for burnout.
Real-World Nuance: It’s Not Always Linear
While the change management ADKAR model is presented as a 1-2-3-4-5 process, the real world is messy. Sometimes a person gains Knowledge and suddenly their Desire increases because they realize the tool is easier than they thought. Sometimes a lack of Ability (struggling with the task) destroys the Desire they originally had.
You have to be fluid.
You also have to acknowledge the "Satiation Point." Companies today are undergoing "change fatigue." If you've launched five major initiatives in a year, the ADKAR model starts to break down because people simply don't have the emotional capacity for more Desire. They are tapped out. In these cases, no amount of frameworking will save you; you need to prioritize and kill off the less important projects.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Project
If you're leading a team through a shift, do these four things immediately:
- Conduct an ADKAR Assessment: Survey your team (anonymously) to find out which of the five stages they are currently in. Don't guess.
- Focus on the "Sponsor": Ensure the person leading the change is visible. They shouldn't just show up for the launch; they need to be active throughout the entire process.
- Individualize the WIIFM: Sit down with different departments and help them define what they personally gain. If you can't find a benefit for them, expect resistance.
- Audit Your Reinforcement: Look at your performance reviews and incentive structures. Do they actually reward the new behavior? If you’re asking for collaboration but still only rewarding individual sales targets, you’ve got a Reinforcement gap that will eventually sink the ship.
Change isn't a one-off event. It’s a capability. Organizations that master the change management ADKAR model don't just survive one transition; they become more resilient to every future disruption the market throws at them. It's about building a muscle. Start small, be consistent, and stop ignoring the people side of the spreadsheet.