Bringing Change to Life Through Education

With a shared understanding in Prosci and the practical use of ADKAR, the next step in strengthening organizational change capability is education. A model provides structure; education builds the understanding, skill, and confidence required to apply it in daily work.

For change to become part of how an organization operates, leaders and staff need a baseline level of change literacy. Without it, models remain theoretical rather than shaping conversations, decisions, and leadership behaviors.

Why Foundational Education Matters

Organizations often begin by assigning change management to project teams or specialists. But sustainable change requires distributed capability across all levels. When leaders and staff share a foundational understanding of change, they develop:

• Common expectations

• Shared terminology

• Greater confidence

This creates intentional, purposeful change practices—not just slide‑deck concepts.

Education for Leaders

Foundational education for leaders is not about creating experts; it reinforces that leading change is part of leading.

Key Elements of Leadership Training

1. Understanding the Human Side of Change

Grounding leaders in ADKAR helps them identify where people may be stuck—Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, or Reinforcement. Complementary models such as Bridges’ Transition Model and the Kübler‑Ross change curve help leaders understand emotional responses as normal parts of transition, not obstacles.

If budget permits, Prosci leader training ensures consistent language and tools. If not, prioritize who needs it most and scale from there, building capability throughout the leadership team.

2. Role Clarity

Leaders often underestimate their influence. Education clarifies their responsibility as supporters, sense‑makers, and reinforcers of change, preventing the misconception that change belongs solely to the project team.

3. Observable Behaviors

Connecting change expectations to leadership competencies helps translate theory into daily behavior and builds accountability. This clarifies the behaviours leaders must demonstrate during change.

4. Education for Staff

Staff training focuses on helping individuals understand and navigate change personally and collectively.

Key Elements of Staff Training

1. Understanding the Change Process

Introducing staff to the same core model used by leaders promotes transparency and helps people understand why certain actions—like communication or reinforcement—shift over time.

2. Normalizing Emotional Response

Transition models help staff recognize their own reactions without judgment, enabling constructive dialogue.

3. Personal Agency

Staff are encouraged to participate actively: ask questions, name barriers, support peers, and share feedback.

Designing Foundational Training

Effective foundational education is:

• Scalable: Short sessions for broad audiences; deeper sessions for leaders and project teams

• Practical: Real scenarios, team discussions, and reflection tied to current change efforts

• Reinforced: Integrated into onboarding, leadership development, and project methodologies

• Measured: Assessing capability growth, consistency of language, and leadership behaviors

What We’ve Learned

As we continue building change capability, several insights stand out:

• Education gains credibility when executives model the concepts

• Leaders need safe practice spaces—not just content

• Staff engage more when emotional realities are acknowledged

• Reinforcement matters as much as initial training

Most importantly, foundational education signals a cultural commitment: change is not episodic—it is part of how we operate.

Anchoring in a shared model gave us structure. Investing in education brings that structure to life.

References:

Bridges, W. (2009). Managing transitions: Making the most of change (3rd ed.). Da Capo Press.

Prosci Inc. (n.d.). Prosci change management methodology. https://www.prosci.com

Prosci Inc. (n.d.). ADKAR: A model for change in business, government and our community. https://www.prosci.com/methodology/adkar