CHANGE MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT
Circling the Pyramid
Building Lasting Commitment to Change
Circling the Pyramid
In any change initiative, the overarching
objective is to drive the lasting adoption of new
behaviors and attitudes within the organization.
The challenge can be framed through a series of
questions: What is the best strategy to build
commitment to the change? How do you
monitor the level of allegiance? What is the
difference between mere compliance and full
internalization? We have developed a model to
help address these issues. Although simple in its
form and application, it has proven effective in a
multitude of change situations.
The Pyramid of Change
Commitment
As illustrated in Figure 1, the core of the model
is a pyramid projected from above. The corners
at the base of the structure correspond to specific
states of mind among the people in the
organization:
1. Persuaded: when people understand and
agree with the rationale for the change;
when they come to realize the status quo
cannot be sustained.
2. Excited: when the change truly resonates
with the interests, values and beliefs of the
people in the organization.
3. Confident: when people have confidence in
the ability of the organization to navigate the
change journey; when they believe the
leadership has the resolve to see the change
through.
4. Able: when people feel they possess the
skills required to display the new behaviors
and succeed in the new environment.
The tip of the pyramid represents the end-point,
i.e. when people adopt fresh attitudes and
behaviors.
Circling the Pyramid
The four states of mind constitute the critical
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