I’m a sailor. There’s nothing I love better than to be at the helm of a sailboat, cruising with the wind along the surface of the water. It’s where I flourish and connect with the deepest parts of my imagination and with something powerful beyond myself. Sailing is about constant change. We cannot control the weather when sailing, but we can learn to use the power of the weather to take us where we want to be. As a change manager, I guess it makes sense I would naturally be drawn to sailing. After all, there’s so much the two have in common:

Compass ——>> Vision and leadership direction

Crew ——>> Employees and stakeholders

Storms ——>> Resistance and organizational turbulence

Tacking —>> Course corrections and agile adaptation

Logbook ——>> Documentation, tracking metrics, reporting

Life jackets —>> Support structures like coaching, training and benefits

Applying the Prosci® ADKAR® Model for sailing through organizational changes:

The ADKAR® model focuses on individual change, which is essential for organizational change to succeed. It stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement - You need to move every individual in your organization, otherwise, you have a “Swiss Cheese” future where large holes in the adaptation of your processes will slow down your progress. Sailing is a passionate that makes it easy for me to navigate the waters of change. Would like to know more?

A – Awareness of the need for change = Checking the Wind

Sailing:
Sailors must be aware of the wind direction and strength. It informs every decision. Ignoring it leads to stalling or capsizing.

Change Management:
People need to understand why the change is necessary. Without this awareness, they’ll resist or disengage.

🌀 Awareness is like wind: invisible but vital. You don’t see it, but you feel its effects.

D – Desire to participate and support the change = Raising the Sails

Sailing:
Once aware of the wind, the sailor chooses to engage with it. Raising the sails is an act of willingness.

Change Management:
Even if people understand the change, they must want to support it. This is built through communication, leadership, and personal motivation.

⛵ Without desire, the sails stay down—even with favorable winds.

K – Knowledge on how to change = Navigation Skills

Sailing:
Knowing how to tack, adjust sails, read instruments, and use a compass is essential. Awareness and desire mean nothing without skills.

Change Management:
People need to know how to operate in the new way—what behaviors to change, what tools to use, what processes to follow.

🧠 Knowledge is your crew’s training and your map. Without it, you’re adrift.

A – Ability to implement new skills and behaviors = Sailing in Real Conditions

Sailing:
It’s one thing to read a book or practice at the dock—it’s another to sail in open waters. Skill must be applied under real-world conditions.

Change Management:
Ability reflects whether people can perform in the new way, amidst pressure, competing demands, and uncertainty.

⚓ Ability is tested when the seas get rough. It's here where you will put theory into practice to ultimately develop skills and start achieving your ROI.

R – Reinforcement to sustain the change = Maintaining the Ship

Sailing:
Even after reaching a new destination, the crew must maintain the ship, check the rigging, and reflect on what worked or didn’t.

Change Management:
Without reinforcement—recognition, performance tracking, feedback—people drift back to old habits.

🔁 Reinforcement is your anchor. It is discovering the goal you set out to achieve is in place, and progress is marked by total adaptation and continual, measurable ROI.

Sailing & Change Management

    • Sailing: Sailors must constantly adapt to changing winds, tides, and weather conditions.

    • Change Management: Leaders must adjust to shifting market conditions, employee responses, and unexpected challenges during transformation.

    Both demand real-time course corrections to stay on track.

    • Sailing: You need a destination (port) and a plotted course to get there.

    • Change Management: A clear vision and roadmap are essential to guide an organization through change.

    Without a clear destination, both a boat and a business can drift aimlessly.

    • Sailing: Everyone on board must understand their role, communicate well, and trust each other.

    • Change Management: Success depends on employee buy-in, collaboration, and clear, consistent messaging.

    Miscommunication can capsize a sailboat—or a change initiative.

    • Sailing: Nature can resist your progress—currents, storms, lack of wind.

    • Change Management: Resistance from employees, culture, or systems can slow progress.

    Skilled sailors and leaders anticipate resistance and have strategies to handle it.

    • Sailing: You bring safety gear and prepare for emergencies.

    • Change Management: You need risk assessments, contingency plans, and readiness checks.

    Failing to prepare in either setting can lead to serious trouble.

    • Sailing: A slight change in sail trim can dramatically affect speed and direction.

    • Change Management: Small, well-timed adjustments in process, messaging, or support can lead to big breakthroughs.

    Subtle shifts can help you catch the “wind” of momentum.

    • Sailing: Getting to your destination takes time, patience, and skill.

    • Change Management: Organizational change is gradual and often met with setbacks before success.

    It’s about steady progress, not instant results.