Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

Managing Change through

“Stages of Concern”

Big Idea:

Change is a process requiring developmental growth in feelings and skills

CHANGE:

Is a PROCESS, not an event

Is made by INDIVIDUALS first, then institutions

Is a highly PERSONAL experience

Entails DEVELOPMENTAL growth in feelings and skills

INTERVENTIONS MUST BE RELATED TO:

The PEOPLE first

The INNOVATION second

People move through stages when dealing with change…

Stage of Concern Types of expressions you would expect to hear:

6. REFOCUSING “I have some ideas about something that would work even better.”

5. COLLABORATION “How can I relate what I am doing to what others are doing?”

4. CONSEQUENCE “What impact am I having? How can I refine it to have more impact?”

3. MANAGEMENT “I seem to be spending all my time getting materials ready.”

2. PERSONAL “How will using it affect me?”

1. INFORMATIONAL “I would like to know more about it.”

0. AWARENESS “I am not concerned about it.”

Stages of ConcernSelf Concerns: Stages 0, 1, & 2

Most frequently expressed prior to beginning a new innovation. Concerns reflect a need for more information and answers.

“What is this all about?”

“How does this affect me?”

Stages of Concern Task Concerns: Stage 3

Most frequently expressed just prior to and during the initial stage of implementation of a new innovation. Concerns reflect a need to know how to manage the innovation.

“How do I find the time to do all of this?” “How do I manage these new materials?” “How do I

group students?”

Stages of Concern Impact Concerns: Stages 4, 5, & 6

Most frequently expressed once the person feels comfortable managing and implementing the new innovation.

Concerns reflect questions about the impact on student learning, how to improve the innovation, how effective it is, or how to collaborate with others to improve it.

“Are my students learning anything?”

“I have ideas about how to make it better.”

Sample Concern #1:

“Almost every night I wonder if I’ll be able to locate and organize the material I will be using the next day. I can’t yet prevent surprises that cause a lot of wasted time. I am not yet able to anticipate what things I will need to have on hand for next week. I feel inefficient when I think about how I am using the program.”

Sample Concern #2:

“Some of the students don’t seem to be catching on to these new self-paced kits. They seem to need more monitoring, closer supervision, and fewer distractions. I wonder if it might help for my aide to work with them more closely.”

Discussion and Reflection

•What types of concern statements do you hear most often from stakeholders?•In what stage of concern are the majority of the your stakeholders in your school district?

Share with others at your table.

So what now...

How do we help address concerns for each stage?

Interventions to Address Concerns

Stage 0: Awareness Concerns

• Involve them in discussions and decisions.

• Arouse interest.• Give permission not to know.• Provide information and

encourage sharing.

Stage 1: Informational Concerns

• Provide clear and accurate information.

• Share information often and in a variety of ways.

• Show how changes relate to current practices (similarities and differences.)

Interventions to Address Concerns

Stage 2: Personal Concerns

• Draw out and address personal concerns directly.

• Use personal notes and conversation.

• Connect people to others who are influential and supportive.

Interventions to Address Concerns

Stage 3: Management Concerns

• Focus on specific areas for change.

• Answer specific “how to” questions.

• Identify sequences of activities and set timelines for implementation.

Interventions to Address Concerns

Stage 4: Consequence Concerns

• Gather data and provide feedback.

• Provide opportunities for users to share knowledge and skills.

• Provide evaluation strategies.

Interventions to Address Concerns

Stage 5: Collaboration Concerns

• Train people to collaborate.• Arrange for people to help

each other.• Rearrange schedules so

people have time to work together.

Interventions to Address Concerns

Stage 6: Refocusing Concerns

• Train people to experiment and collect data on results.

• Document changes being made and monitor impact.

Interventions to Address Concerns

Remember the Big Idea:

Change is a process requiring developmental growth in feelings and skills.

Use Big Idea #1 to Your Advantage• Expect that people in any group will be at

different places in the sequence.• Plan interventions that support people wherever

they are, not just the beginning.• Repeat interventions over time, accommodate

new people to the system.• Check to make sure you are getting the results

you intend.