Change Management Playbook

Most changes fail at implementation, not design. The ADKAR model tells you why and how to fix it.

Keywords

change management, ADKAR, organizational change, reorg, process change, tool migration, strategy pivot, change resistance, change fatigue, change communication, stakeholder management, adoption, compliance, change rollout, transition

Core Model: ADKAR Adapted for Startups

ADKAR is a change management model by Prosci. Original version is for enterprises. This is the startup-speed adaptation.

A, Awareness

What it is: People understand WHY the change is happening, the business reason, not just the announcement.

The mistake: Communicating the WHAT before the WHY. "We're moving to a new CRM" before "here's why our current process is killing us."

What people need to hear:

• What is the problem we're solving? (Be honest. If it's "we need to cut costs," say that.)
• Why now? What would happen if we didn't change?
• Who made this decision and how?

Startup shortcut: A 5-minute video from the CEO or decision-maker explaining the "why" in plain language beats a formal change announcement document every time.

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D, Desire

What it is: People want to make the change happen, or at least don't actively resist it.

The mistake: Assuming communication creates desire. Awareness ≠ desire. People can understand a change and still hate it.

What creates desire:

• "What's in it for me?", answer this for each stakeholder group, honestly
• Involving people in the "how" even if the "what" is decided
• Addressing fears directly: "Some people are worried this means their role is changing. Here's the truth: [honest answer]"

What destroys desire:

• Pretending the change is better for everyone than it is
• Ignoring the legitimate losses people will experience
• Making announcements without any consultation