Change Management Frameworks

The difference between changes that fail and changes that stick usually comes down to whether someone used a framework — or just winged it. In this lesson, you’ll learn the three frameworks that matter most, and when to reach for each one.

Framework 1: Kotter’s 8 Steps

John Kotter’s model focuses on organizational momentum — how to build energy for change and sustain it through completion.

When to use Kotter: Large-scale organizational changes — restructuring, digital transformation, culture shifts — where you need broad organizational buy-in and momentum.

✅ Quick Check: Why is “declaring victory too early” (after Step 6) one of the most common change management mistakes? Because early wins create a false sense of completion. The 20-30% of people who adopted early make the change look successful, but the majority is still on the fence. Without Steps 7 and 8 — consolidating gains and anchoring the change in culture — adoption stalls and gradually reverts. Quick wins are fuel for the next push, not the finish line.

Framework 2: ADKAR

Prosci’s ADKAR model focuses on individual change — why specific people aren’t adopting and what to do about it.

The power of ADKAR: It’s a diagnostic tool. When someone isn’t adopting, you ask: which stage are they stuck at? The answer tells you exactly what intervention to apply.

When to use ADKAR: Individual and team-level adoption — tool rollouts, process changes, new policies — where you need to understand and address specific people’s barriers.

Framework 3: Bridges Transition Model

William Bridges’ model focuses on psychological transition — the internal experience of change that happens slower than the external event.

Three phases:

1. Ending: People must let go of the old — identity, competence, relationships, and comfort. Even positive changes involve loss. Acknowledge this openly.

2. Neutral Zone: The old is gone but the new doesn’t feel natural yet. This is the messy middle — low energy, confusion, and vulnerability. It’s also where creativity can emerge if supported well.

3. New Beginning: The new way starts feeling like “how we do things.” New competencies, relationships, and identities form.

When to use Bridges: Any change that involves identity or relationships — reorganizations, role changes, leadership transitions — where the emotional dimension is as important as the practical one.

✅ Quick Check: How do the three frameworks complement each other? Kotter tells you how to build organizational momentum (the macro view). ADKAR tells you how to move specific individuals through adoption (the micro view). Bridges tells you what people are experiencing emotionally (the psychological view). A strong change initiative uses all three: Kotter for strategy, ADKAR for diagnosis, and Bridges for empathy.

Key Takeaways

• Kotter’s 8 Steps build organizational momentum — urgency, coalition, vision, communication, empowerment, quick wins, consolidation, and cultural anchoring — use this for large-scale changes requiring broad buy-in
• ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) diagnoses where specific individuals are stuck and prescribes the right intervention for each stage — use this for any adoption challenge
• The Bridges Transition Model addresses the psychological side — Ending, Neutral Zone, New Beginning — and explains why morale dips even after technically “successful” changes
• The three frameworks are complementary: Kotter for organizational strategy, ADKAR for individual diagnosis, and Bridges for emotional empathy
• Most change failures happen because organizations implement the technical change but skip the human transition — these frameworks ensure you manage both

Up Next: You’ll go deep on the ADKAR model — learning how to diagnose which stage each stakeholder is stuck at and design targeted interventions that move them forward.