Introduction: why this action matters for adoption
In many changes, employees do not fail because they were unaware of the change; they struggle because the first real attempt happens under time pressure, in front of customers, colleagues, leaders, or live systems. This action closes the gap between knowing and doing. In Prosci’s ADKAR model, it supports the move from Knowledge to Ability and then to Reinforcement [Prosci]. (prosci.com)
Safe practice also reduces the social risk of learning. Edmondson’s research links psychological safety with learning behaviors such as asking for help, seeking feedback, talking about errors, and experimenting [Edmondson, 1999]. (web.mit.edu) For change managers, this makes practice a practical adoption intervention, not a “nice to have” training add-on.
What this action is and when to use it
This is a capability-building and coaching intervention. It gives impacted employees, managers, sponsors, or other stakeholders structured opportunities to rehearse the new behavior before using it in daily work. It may include role play, sandbox system practice, scenario rehearsal, peer pairing, coached conversations, simulations, or supervised first attempts.
Use it when the change requires people to perform differently: using a new workflow, making different decisions, handling sensitive conversations, applying a policy, entering data correctly, using a new system, or leading teams through uncertainty. It is especially valuable when mistakes could affect customers, safety, compliance, trust, productivity, or confidence.
Do not use coaching as a default response to every issue. CIPD cautions that coaching should be selected when it fits the development need, and that employee readiness and motivation matter [CIPD, 2025]. (cipd.org) If the real barrier is lack of sponsorship, poor process design, missing access, or unclear decision rights, fix that first.
Preparation: inputs, stakeholders, materials, timing, and decisions needed
Start with the change impact assessment. Identify which roles must perform which new behaviors, what “good” looks like, and where people are most likely to hesitate or revert. Build practice around real work moments, not abstract training content.
The key stakeholders are the change manager, people managers, subject matter experts, L&D, adoption leads, change champions, and impacted employees. People managers are especially important because Prosci positions them as coaches who help employees develop knowledge and ability and address barriers during change [Prosci, 2021/2025]. (prosci.com)
Prepare scenario cards, a sandbox or mock process, job aids, observer checklists, debrief questions, and escalation paths. Decide whether practice is mandatory or optional, individual or group-based, confidential or observed, and how feedback will be captured. CIPD recommends attention to confidentiality and information flow in coaching relationships because trust affects participation [CIPD, 2025]. (cipd.org)
Time the activity by phase. During design, use practice to test usability. Before go-live, rehearse the highest-risk moments. During hypercare, pair employees with coaches or champions. During sustainment, use refreshers for low-frequency or high-consequence tasks.
Step-by-step facilitation guide
Define the target behavior. State the specific action employees must perform, the standard expected, and why it matters for adoption and business outcomes.
Create the safe container. Explain that the purpose is learning, not judgment. AHRQ’s debrief guidance emphasizes that debriefs are most effective when mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities [AHRQ, 2023]. (ahrq.gov)
Demonstrate the behavior. Show a realistic example using the new process, system, conversation, or decision rule. Keep the demonstration short and connected to the employee’s role.
Run a realistic practice scenario. Ask participants to try the behavior using a case they recognize. For sponsors or managers, this may be a difficult conversation; for employees, it may be a transaction, customer interaction, or handoff.
Pause and debrief. Ask what went well, what was confusing, what risk appeared, and what should be tried next. Keep feedback specific to the behavior, not the person.
Repeat with variation. Simulation-based deliberate practice uses repeated attempts and timely feedback so learners can apply feedback immediately [Peng & Schertzer, 2023]. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) In business settings, this can be as simple as a second role play, another data-entry case, or a more complex customer scenario.
Plan the first live use. Each participant should identify when they will use the skill, what support they will use, and what they will do if they get stuck.
Follow up. Schedule manager check-ins, peer practice, office hours, or floorwalking. Training transfer is more likely to sustain when peer, supervisor, and organizational support are present [Hughes et al., 2020]. (journals.sagepub.com)
Example: how this could be applied in a real change initiative
A company is rolling out a new CRM sales process. The change requires sales representatives to ask different discovery questions, classify opportunities using new criteria, and enter data before the next pipeline meeting.
The change manager works with sales leaders and high-performing reps to create three realistic customer scenarios. Reps first watch a manager demonstrate a discovery conversation, then practice in pairs. One person plays the customer, one uses the new questioning guide, and one observes using a checklist. After a short debrief, they repeat the scenario with a more difficult customer objection. The final step is sandbox entry in the CRM and a commitment to use the new approach on two live opportunities that week. Managers review the first attempts in one-to-ones and collect common barriers for the project team.
Roles and responsibilities
Role | Responsibility |
Change manager | Designs the intervention, aligns it to adoption risks, equips managers, and tracks indicators. |
People manager | Coaches employees, normalizes practice, gives feedback, and removes local barriers. |
Sponsor | Protects time for practice and reinforces that skill-building is part of the change. |
SME or process owner | Confirms the correct behavior, examples, standards, and job aids. |
L&D or facilitator | Designs scenarios, practice flow, and feedback methods. |
Employee | Practices, asks for help, applies feedback, and plans first live use. |
Change champion or peer mentor | Provides peer support and reinforces learning after the session. |
Common mistakes to avoid
Treating practice as a training event rather than an adoption intervention.
Practicing generic examples that do not match real work.
Making the environment feel evaluative, which reduces openness and learning behavior.
Asking managers to coach without talking points, scenarios, or feedback criteria.
Running one session before go-live and providing no follow-up.
Ignoring resistance; reluctant employees may need smaller, private practice and a conversation about barriers before joining group rehearsal.
Measuring attendance only, rather than behavior and transfer.
Measures of success or adoption indicators
Use a mix of leading and lagging indicators. Leading indicators include participation by impacted role, completion of practice scenarios, confidence to perform the new behavior, number of barriers identified, manager coaching check-ins completed, and peer support activity. Behavior indicators include observed use of the new process, system usage quality, error rates, rework, escalations, cycle time, compliance exceptions, or customer-impact measures. Kirkpatrick’s model distinguishes behavior in the work environment from results, so measure whether people are performing the critical behaviors and whether the intended outcomes are improving [Kirkpatrick Partners]. (kirkpatrickpartners.com)
Checklist for the change manager
Confirm the critical behaviors required for adoption.
Identify the roles, audiences, and resistance levels that need practice.
Build realistic scenarios from actual work situations.
Prepare job aids, checklists, scripts, sandbox access, and debrief questions.
Equip managers and champions to coach consistently.
Set confidentiality and feedback rules.
Schedule practice before go-live and reinforcement after go-live.
Track behavior change, not only attendance.
Feed barriers back to the project team for solution fixes.
Optional reusable template: safe practice session agenda
Purpose: Help participants rehearse the new behavior safely before using it in live work.
60-minute agenda:
Opening and safety framing, 5 minutes.
Explain the target behavior and success standard, 5 minutes.
Demonstration, 10 minutes.
Scenario practice round one, 10 minutes.
Debrief using “what worked, what was unclear, what to try next,” 10 minutes.
Scenario practice round two with variation, 10 minutes.
First live-use plan and support commitments, 10 minutes.
Participant worksheet:
The change I am preparing for:
The behavior I need to practice:
The situation where I am most likely to use it:
What I found difficult in practice:
Feedback I received:
My first live-use opportunity:
Who I will ask for support:
What I will do if I encounter a barrier:
References
Prosci. The Prosci ADKAR Model. No publication date listed. https://www.prosci.com/methodology/adkar
Prosci. CLARC: The Role of People Managers in Change Management. Published June 28, 2021; updated April 24, 2025. https://www.prosci.com/blog/clarc-the-role-of-people-managers-in-change-management
CIPD. Coaching and Mentoring. August 11, 2025. https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/factsheets/coaching-mentoring-factsheet/
Edmondson, Amy C. Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1999. https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Performance/Edmondson%20Psychological%20safety.pdf
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Reviewing the Team’s Performance: Debrief. Page last reviewed December 2023. https://www.ahrq.gov/teamstepps-program/curriculum/team/tools/debrief.html
Hughes, Ashley M., Zajac, Stephanie, Woods, Amanda L., and Salas, Eduardo. The Role of Work Environment in Training Sustainment: A Meta-Analysis. Human Factors, 2020. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0018720819845988
Kirkpatrick Partners. What Is the Kirkpatrick Model? No publication date listed. https://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/the-kirkpatrick-model/
Peng, Cynthia R., and Schertzer, Kimberly. Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice in Medical Simulation. StatPearls/NCBI Bookshelf. Updated July 24, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551533/