Why individual change is the key
Every transformation — the introduction of new software, a reorganisation, a far-reaching cultural shift — ultimately happens at the level of the individual. If people do not understand why change is necessary, do not want to support it, or do not know how to adapt, even the most strategically brilliant plan can fail. This is precisely where the Prosci ADKAR model begins.
ADKAR is a structured change management model focused on the five stages a person must pass through in order to make a change successfully. It gives leaders and change managers a framework for understanding how far an individual has come, identifying barriers and developing targeted measures. The acronym stands for:
- Awareness
- Desire
- Knowledge
- Ability
- Reinforcement
Let us look at each stage in detail, with concrete examples.
Awareness: why is change necessary?
The first and most fundamental stage is awareness of the need for change. People have to understand why the current state is no longer viable and why change is required. Without that basic understanding, every subsequent measure falls on deaf ears. It is not simply about receiving the information, but about processing it and recognising what it means.
In practice: your organisation plans to introduce a new, comprehensive ERP system such as SAP to replace outdated, fragmented legacy systems. In the awareness stage you communicate clearly and transparently what problems the legacy systems cause — data inconsistencies, duplicated manual work, no real-time overview, a high risk of error. You explain how these shortcomings undermine efficiency, complicate strategic decisions and hold back growth. The emphasis is on the urgency and the risks of the status quo, and on the benefits of the new system for the business, before personal benefits are addressed at all.
Desire: I want to support this change
Even where awareness of the need exists, that does not mean people actively want to support the change. The desire stage concerns the individual's willingness to take part and to carry it forward. That willingness is deeply personal, shaped by individual values, personal circumstances and the perceived reward or consequence. It is the hardest stage, because it cannot be compelled.
In practice: building on the ERP example, individual desire now has to be earned. Communicate the concrete benefits the new SAP system brings to the individual employee: less manual data entry, faster processes, access to better data for well-founded decisions, or the chance to concentrate on more demanding work. Leaders play a decisive role here by setting an example, taking concerns seriously and encouraging an open conversation about what the change means personally. The aim is a positive attitude and a sense of ownership, not mere compliance.
Knowledge: how do I change?
Once people understand the change and want to support it, they need to know how to change. This stage covers understanding the new processes, systems, tools and roles that come with the transformation. It is about conveying the information and the intellectual grasp required for the new way of working.
In practice: for the SAP implementation this means providing comprehensive training — navigating the new system, understanding the new workflow logic, operating specific modules and entering data correctly. Manuals, tutorials and a knowledge base are made available. The goal is that people can grasp the necessary steps and sequences well enough to do their jobs in the new system. This covers both technical knowledge and familiarity with new company policies.
Ability: I can put the change into practice
Knowing how a new way of working is supposed to go is often not enough. The ability stage concerns the actual capacity to put that knowledge into practice and demonstrate the new skills. It is about working through the learning curve, applying knowledge under real conditions and gaining routine and confidence in the new environment. That usually takes practice, coaching and targeted feedback.
In practice: after the SAP training, what matters is applying it. That can happen through supervised practice sessions, role plays, pilot phases or the appointment of so-called super-users who act as first points of contact on site. Real working situations are simulated in which people operate the system and receive feedback. Leaders provide active support through coaching and by creating an environment in which mistakes are treated as opportunities to learn. The goal is that every individual can work confidently and effectively in the new system.
Reinforcement: I stay with the change
The final stage, reinforcement, is decisive in making the change last and preventing old habits from reasserting themselves. It covers every measure that consolidates the new way of working, confirms success and motivates people to stay with the change. Without adequate reinforcement, a relapse into old patterns comes easily.
In practice: to embed use of the new SAP system for the long term, you put several reinforcement mechanisms in place. These include recognition programmes for super-users, regular feedback from line managers, the publication of success stories (efficiency gains, improved data quality) and linking the new way of working to performance reviews or bonus schemes. Continued support, updated training material and visible evidence of the positive long-term effects of the implementation all help to consolidate the change and secure lasting acceptance.
When ADKAR is the right model
ADKAR is at its strongest where individual capacity to change is the issue, and in transformation projects that reach deep into the level of the individual. It is particularly effective for:
- Transformations close to the employee: where new tools, processes or ways of working directly affect daily work — software implementations, process optimisation, training programmes.
- Cultural change: to diagnose and address individual resistance to new values and behaviours.
- Leadership development: to give managers a clear framework for guiding their teams through change.
- Diagnosing resistance: ADKAR makes it possible to identify exactly which stage individuals or groups have reached and what specific barriers exist there. Is it a lack of awareness, desire, knowledge, ability or reinforcement?
When ADKAR is less suitable
Powerful as it is, ADKAR has limits and is not the optimal choice for every kind of change. It reaches those limits where structural, political or systemic factors dominate:
- Collective dynamics and politics: in large strategic upheavals, M&A transactions or far-reaching reorganisations, where power structures, political alliances and collective resistance are to the fore, ADKAR alone can be insufficient. Models that explicitly address political dimensions and systemic interdependencies are needed.
- Top-down strategic shifts: where the task is primarily to formulate and communicate a new corporate strategy set at the top and affecting mainly the senior leadership, without immediately requiring individual behavioural change across the workforce. ADKAR can complement this, but it cannot replace strategic communication and decision-making.
- Absent clarity from leadership: where the leadership itself has no clear vision or is not united behind the change, ADKAR cannot compensate for the missing strategic direction.
In such cases, models such as Kotter's eight-step process — with its stronger emphasis on establishing urgency, forming a guiding coalition and creating short-term wins — may offer a more suitable or at least a complementary approach.
A practical takeaway
ADKAR teaches us that successful change management is no accident, but the result of deliberately managing the individual human experience of change. By concentrating on the five stages you can not only recognise and address individual resistance early, but also act preventively to build a solid basis for lasting organisational change. Effective change management means accompanying every individual on their journey through change and making sure none of the stages is overlooked. That is the only way collective success grows out of individual transformation.