While changing individual behavior can seem challenging, changing organizational behavior at scale presents even greater difficulty. Leaders are tasked with shifting the mindsets and activities of entire teams, departments, and companies. Indeed, effecting real, lasting change across an organization's culture and practices requires significant effort and strategy. However, researchers have proposed simple yet powerful frameworks to help guide such change initiatives.
Today we will explore one such framework - a formula for changing organizational behavior - and will apply its concepts to specific industries with examples and considerations for practical implementation.
ABC Formula for Changing Organizational Behavior
In 2002, researchers from Yale and Harvard proposed a straightforward ABC formula for changing behavior at the individual and group level: Awareness, Belief, and Commitment. By focusing efforts on developing Awareness, shaping Beliefs, and cultivating Commitment, this model asserts that sustainable behavior change becomes possible (Salmon & Jenkins, 2002). This paper uses the ABC framework as an organizational leadership lens to explore driving behavior shifts across teams and companies.
Awareness
The first step in changing behavior is developing Awareness of an issue or opportunity. At the organizational level, this involves surfacing existing norms, practices, and assumptions that may no longer serve the company’s goals and values. Leaders must create a compelling case for why the status quo needs revising by communicating relevant data and stories that illuminate gaps between current and desired performance (Salmon & Jenkins, 2002).
Awareness-building tactics could include stakeholder interviews, staff surveys, process mapping workshops, data visualization projects, and other activities that bring problematic patterns to light. For example, in healthcare, mapping patient journeys and collecting experience feedback revealed inconsistencies reducing quality and satisfaction. In tech, aggregating bug reports and user research uncovered product complexity slowing adoption and engagement. The key is surfacing otherwise unseen realities to motivate change.
Belief
Once an issue gains awareness, shaping supportive Beliefs becomes crucial. Leaders must convince teams that changing specific behaviors will lead to improved outcomes they truly want to see. This involves explaining the logic of why new approaches are preferable to old ones using logical, emotionally compelling arguments (Salmon & Jenkins, 2022).
Promoting belief in change also requires addressing doubts, challenges, and resistance upfront. Leaders can preempt concerns by sharing pilot program results, case studies from other firms, or proof-of-concept modeling. For instance, a manufacturing plant demonstrated through simulation how lean processes would boost quality and throughput. A bank tested streamlined account openings to prove higher customer satisfaction and lower costs were achievable. Addressing skepticism constructively builds confidence in a behavior shift’s potential.
Commitment
The third and final phase of the ABC model focuses on cultivating Commitment to new patterns of behavior through active participation and accountability. Leaders must clearly define expected behaviors and provide tools, training and support for teams to successfully adapt (Salmon & Jenkins, 2002).
For Commitment to stick, behaviors also need metrics, incentives, and consequences tied to performance. Some examples include linking specific OKRs to strategic initiatives, tying bonuses to initiative targets being met, or holding managers responsible for overseeing implementation progress updates. Obtaining visible commitments, whether signatures on charters or public declarations, can strengthen resolve as peers provide encouragement. Sustained Commitment ultimately institutionalizes changed organizational behavior over the long term.
Practical Applications Across Industries
The ABC formula offers a research-grounded framework for driving behavior change initiatives across diverse organizational contexts. The following sections explore practical applications of the model for specific industries, providing examples, considerations, and tactics leaders could employ.
Healthcare
In healthcare, embracing quality improvement methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma necessitates changes to longstanding clinical and administrative workflows. The ABCs can support such transformations. Awareness arises from sharing compelling patient stories and data on variability in outcomes. Belief stems from modeling how standardized processes boost reliability and experience. Commitment results from frontline ownership of process redesigns and transparent performance tracking (Salmon & Jenkins, 2002).
For instance, a children's hospital raised Awareness of difficulties coordinating complex care by interviewing families. This led staff to Believe in how care coordinators could smooth handoffs. Committee appointments and public reporting secured Commitment to make coordination the new standard. Consistently applying the ABCs fosters sustainable changes to service delivery across healthcare.
Technology
Agile methodologies promise faster software development, but shifting large tech firms requires behavioral changes from leaders, managers, and individual contributors used to traditional “waterfall” methods. The ABCs effectively facilitate such shifts. Successful pilots create Awareness of benefits like decreased cycle times and higher employee engagement. Communicating case studies from early adopters builds Belief that agility works at scale (Salmon & Jenkins, 2022).
Finally, rotating team members through Scrum Master and Product Owner positions grows Commitment by imparting practical experience. A major computer manufacturer adopted this approach, rotating 500+ staff through Agile roles over 18 months to drive buy-in throughout divisions. Institutionalizing coaching and communities of practice sustains new behaviors long-term as well.
Education
Educational settings also stand to benefit from applying the ABC framework as they modernize instructional approaches. For example, introducing flipped or blended learning models necessitates both teachers and students adopting new in-class and homework behaviors (Salmon & Jenkins, 2002).
At the high school level, Awareness arose from student and parent feedback on lecture-heavy courses. Videos demonstrating inquiry-driven lessons built Belief that engagement would increase. Commitment emerged as teachers collaboratively planned interactive problem-solving activities to replace passive lectures. Peer observations and public updates on exam scores kept the new methods top of mind. The ABCs structurally supported reimagining decades of educational convention.
As another example, at the university level Awareness of disengaged online students spurred piloting virtual collaborative assignments. Early adopter focus groups helped Belief build that interaction boosted outcomes. Expanding facilitator training and incentives grew Commitment to an interactive digital pedagogy across programs over subsequent terms.
Conclusion
The simple ABC model provides a research-grounded yet practical framework for driving sustainable behavioral changes throughout organizations. By intentionally focusing efforts on developing Awareness, shaping Belief systems, and cultivating ongoing Commitment, even extensive cultural transformations become more methodologically achievable. Across industries, leaders can apply the ABCs’ consideration for surfacing issues, addressing resistance, piloting concepts, institutionalizing supporters, and tracking progress to shepherd initiatives to successful implementation at scale. While changing behavior presents inherent challenges, this formula offers leaders a structured approach grounded in social science to realize their visions of improved performance through evolved organizational practices and mindsets.
References
Salmon, P., & Jenkins, D. (2002). Formula for changing behavior: The ABC of behavior change. British Journal of General Practice, 52(475), 199–203.
Salmon, P., & Jenkins, D. (2022). Revisiting the ABC of behavior change. BMJ Open Quality, 11(3), e001663. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2022-001663
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
