The Change Adoption Continuum - Leading Your Team Through Change
Adapted from AchieveGlobal and Dr. Elmore Research
5 minute read
People don’t accept change at the same rate. Some embrace change, or even work to bring it about, viewing change as an opportunity. Others initially resist change and feel threatened by it. Most people fall somewhere between, viewing change as both risk and opportunity. Understanding this dynamic allows you to develop a change reaction profile and plan ways to move people forward through new changes – both external changes (post-Covid environment) and internal changes your organization is implementing (hybrid work for example).
Leaders of change understand and employ the Change Adoption Continuum to team members to assess to how quickly they embrace a new change. There are five responses to any change and are fairly predictable based on Elmore research:
Innovator - Early Adopter – Pragmatist – Skeptic - Traditionalist
Innovators love to experiment with new ideas, new approaches. They may be demonstrating already the behaviors required for a change or realizing results similar to those targeted by the change. (2.5% of group)
Early adopters are usually enthusiastic. They seek an active role in leading a change effort and are willing to try new approaches. (13.5% of group)
Pragmatists are cautious, sometimes suspicious of a change. They want to understand the need for and processes to change before accepting it. (34% of group)
Skeptics tend to be fearful of a change. They only adopt a change once it has been tested and approved by the mainstream. (34% of group)
Traditionalists are often hostile to a change. They adopt a change only when faced with severe consequences for noncompliance. (16% of group)
The Change Adoption Continuum helps you to assess team members’ orientation to a specific change initiative, and to uncover ways to spotlight strengths and successes of innovators and early adopters. When you understand the orientations to change within a group, you know who to focus on to gain momentum and support for the change.
Step One - Populate the Change Adoption Continuum
Consider the individuals key to the success of a change. Create a change reaction profile by identifying where your team members fall along the Change Adoption Continuum. Write names or initials in the appropriate column.
Step Two - Change Adoption Checklist
Review the Change Adoption Checklist that follows to help you identify how your team members are reacting to the change. If you can’t decide where someone currently fits on the Change Adoption Continuum, check any statements below that describe the person. The category with the most checks likely reflects the person’s current response to the change.
Innovator Characteristics
Idealistic and creative; sees opportunities rather than risks in change
Eager to initiate change, develop and try out new ideas and approaches
Often viewed as an individualist or eccentric
Prefers to work on change from behind the scenes, making little or no effort to communicate ideas to the larger group
May struggle with routine tasks unaffected by the change
Early Adopter Characteristics
Optimistic; sees high opportunity rather than risk in change
Socially oriented, with contacts throughout the organization and broad knowledge of issues for various groups
Motivated to seek out new ideas and share insights
Seeks recognition through a leadership role
Among the first to volunteer as a pilot participant, facilitator, or mentor
Often attests to the value of a particular change during implementation
May fail to consider or plan adequately for the risks associated with the Change
Pragmatist Characteristics
Bottom-line oriented
Wants evidence and a solid business plan before adopting a change
Typically embraces change but more slowly than innovators and early adopters
Sometimes resistant to a clearly useful but unproven change
Tends to see more risk than opportunity in change
Skeptic Characteristics
Questions change information
Needs evidence that the change has proven effective
Challenges the necessity of change, raising awareness of risk
Struggles to foresee positive outcomes of a change
Typically adopts change only after the majority has done so, or the change has achieved clearly positive results
Traditionalist Characteristics
Resists change, emphasizing continuity with the past (e.g., traditional products, services, or practices that made the organization successful)
Sees opportunity in maintaining the status quo
Provides information about the results of similar changes in the past
Helps the organization select solid, beneficial solutions
Exerts an overall stabilizing influence
Accepts change only when it becomes standard practice
Step 3 – Leverage the Positive Outlook of the Innovators and Early Adaptors
Innovators are creative and vision well. Employ their creativity to final new ideas, solutions, and processes to move the change forward. Early adopters welcome the chance to approach work differently. Use their energy to your advantage. Find ways to tap their enthusiasm, allowing it to ignite the passion—or at least interest—of others. Ideas include:
Invite innovators early adopters to experiment or participate in pilot programs.
Engage early adopters in problem solving for change-related issues.
Allow early adopters time to research and learn more about the change.
Encourage early adopters to share their experiences with pragmatists.
Partner early adopters with pragmatists on new projects or tasks.
Assign change-related communication responsibilities to early adopters.
Step 4 – Move forward with the change by not wasting time arguing
The Pragmatist, Skeptic, and Traditionalist resist the change you are trying to implement. Here are a few key insights on eventually bringing them “on board” to accept and participate in the change.
Remember not to take any attack or derision to the change personally.
Do not waste time arguing with the Skeptic or Traditionalist. Use your energy to collaborate with Innovators and Early Adopters.
Employ the Pragmatist as a “practical idea giver” on alternatives, solutions and process. They thrive on supporting results.
Publicise early wins, give the Skeptic and Traditionalist concrete proof the change is working and positive.
Sometimes the Traditionalist is the biggest critic of the change. Remember that some of their ideas not to change may have merit and can be incorporated to create a better change initiative.
Those that resist the change need time to observe, see results, and confirm the change is not as risky as it seems. Be patient with them. Show respect.
I hope you found this Change Adoption Continuum review helpful. Why not review the changes Covid has brought about in your organization and how you might bring your team on board to accept and implement the changes necessary to move forward in the post Covid world?
ELAvate has a workshops and coaching teams to change: Activating Change, Improving Work Processes, The 5 Levels of Change Leadership, Personal Strategies for Navigating Change, and Strategy Mapping for Organizational Change.
Contact me for more information on any of these world class workshops to support your change initiatives. michael.griffin@elavateglobal.com
“Your Ability to Positively Change will Determine Your Success in Life”
Michael J Griffin
ELAvate Founder
Leader of Positive Change
Maxwell Leadership Founding Member