Readiness for Change: How to Assess & Improve It (original) (raw)

Key Insights

Readiness for changeClients seeking professional help from a counselor or therapist are often aware they need to change yet may not be ready to begin their journey.

Professional consultation aims to understand the challenges and concerns of the client while recognizing that they already have much of what’s needed within them (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

For change to happen, an alliance must be created with the client that focuses on their strengths while evoking their readiness for change.

This article explores how to create that readiness to support the client throughout their journey.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our five positive psychology tools for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients create actionable goals and master techniques to create lasting behavior change.

This Article Contains

What Is Readiness for Change?

Change can be initiated or experienced at an individual, societal, or organizational level. Understanding readiness for change can make the journey easier for those involved.

Readiness for change at the individual level

Coaching, counseling, and therapy typically involve change. The issues, problems, and needs that clients bring to each session often involve a “focus on altering how people feel, think and act so that they can live their lives more effectively” (Hagger et al., 2020; Nelson-Jones, 2014, p. 10).

The following are key questions that can support the client through change (modified from Michie et al., 2014):

Underlying each of these points is another one: What is the client’s readiness for change? Unless they are prepared and willing for change to happen, the process will either not begin or fall at the first obstacle.

“People don’t change until they are ready to” (Arloski, 2014, p. 267). Even when the client and the mental health professional see the need for change, it may not happen. Rushing in front of the client, saying, “So, what are we going to do about this?” may damage the chance of treatment success (Arloski, 2014).

It is vital to consider change as a journey for the individual, with several stages of change through which they must pass for a successful outcome (Hagger et al., 2020).

Employee & organizational readiness for change

Change (anticipated or unexpected) within any organization can unsettle employees and should be planned and handled with care. While it is not always possible to predict what is ahead, it is vital to be ready for different possible futures. “The time to prepare for change is not when it hits. It’s before it hits” (Rinne, 2021, para. 4).

Ensuring the organization and its staff are ready for change is also about removing or, more importantly, avoiding impediments that will halt or block change, including (modified from Rinne, 2021):

Performing a change audit can help an organization assess its staff’s readiness, motivation, and willingness for change and challenges (Rinne, 2021; Harvard Business Review, 2019).

4 Fascinating Theories & Models

Preparing for changeThere are many models and theories for understanding, predicting, and promoting readiness for change.

The following approaches provide a helpful insight into the variety of techniques available.

1. GROW model

The GROW model remains a popular technique for approaching change, despite having been around since the late 1980s (Whitmore, 2017). Like other approaches, it uses a series of questions to raise awareness, ownership, and, ultimately, readiness in the individual for change.

John Whitmore (2017), the creator of this powerful coaching model, suggests the acronym GROW as a framework that follows four distinct stages:

It is important to note that goals are set before assessing the reality. While counterintuitive, this promotes readiness and avoids (or at least reduces) the individual being limited by past performances (Whitmore, 2017).

2. Transtheoretical model

The transtheoretical model (TTM) emerged from a complex and confusing array of psychotherapy approaches that attempted to predict and explain “what people need to do to make change happen” (Hagger et al., 2020, p. 137).

The five-stage model captures the journey an individual makes to achieve lasting change:

  1. Precontemplation
  2. Contemplation
  3. Preparation
  4. Action
  5. Maintenance

Clients “can be at a different stage of readiness in each specific behavior we look at” (Arloski, 2014, p. 167). For example, a client may be ready to exercise but not stop smoking. Readiness for change is therefore not all or nothing, but uneven. The client may cycle and recycle through the stages, sometimes slipping back, other times moving forward.

3. Self-determination theory

The self-determination theory proposes that humans have three fundamental needs that, if met, lead to intrinsic motivation, optimal functioning, wellness, and a desire for growth (Ryan & Deci, 2018):

“When needs are thwarted or frustrated, individuals experience ill-being, dissatisfaction, and negative affect, among other signs of non-optimal function” (Hagger et al., 2020, p. 109).

Satisfying each of the needs can lead to positive change. Individuals experiencing their actions as autonomous are likely to initiate and persist in their behavior. Interventions that support feelings of relatedness, autonomy, and competence highlight to the individual that their actions are freely chosen and personal (Hagger et al., 2020).

4. Motivational interviewing

Motivational interviewing (MI) has been widely used and highly effective in challenging clients’ unhealthy behavior, such as smoking, poor diet, and drug use. MI is particularly helpful in overcoming ambivalence or unwillingness to change (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

MI uses preparatory talk during sessions, encouraging open yet directed questioning to evoke conversation about change. In essence, the client talks themselves into being ready by uncovering their desire, ability, reasons, and need for change (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

Several MI-influenced worksheets are included below.

How to Create Readiness for Change

Ensuring readiness for change is particularly important for clients engaged in coaching for health and wellness (Rogers & Maini, 2016; Arloski, 2014). Knowing that you need to exercise more, drink less alcohol, or change your diet does not mean you are ready to begin.

“Contrary to some people’s approach, giving your client a shove in the back is probably not a good idea. That first step has to come from within” (Arloski, 2014, p. 172).

Readiness for change may begin with working on a client’s self-worth and self-esteem. A low feeling of self-worth may become an obstacle to change. However, it is also possible to start the change journey by helping the client act as if they are already ready (Arloski, 2014).

It is also crucial that the person is aware of the benefits of the behavior, learning why change matters. The first three stages in the TTM above are therefore vital in creating that readiness for change in the client (modified from Hagger et al., 2020).

To move out of stage one, precontemplation:

Client’s tasks Counselor or coach’s tasks
Become more aware, concerned, hopeful, and confident about change. Build a rapport with the client and increase their awareness of their existing risks and problematic behavior.

To move out of stage two, contemplation:

Client’s tasks Counselor or coach’s tasks
Understand the risk of not doing something versus the benefits of doing it.Solidify the decision to change. Normalize the client’s ambivalence.Explore and evoke the reasons for change and tip the client’s decisional balance.

To move out of stage three, preparation:

Client’s tasks Counselor or coach’s tasks
Commit to change and agree to a change plan. Work with the client to make a plan that considers the barriers they may experience.

Having created this readiness for change, the client can continue their journey through the subsequent TTM stages: action, maintenance, and, where necessary, revisit plans if they relapse (Hagger et al., 2020).

Getting the readiness balance right to progress to the next stage is not easy. “When you are being an effective coach, you walk a very delicate and thin line between facilitating change and growth, and convincing someone of the benefits of growth” (Arloski, 2014, p. 174).

8 Worksheets to Support Your Clients

Readiness assessment worksheetsAs we have already seen, MI is an effective and widely used approach for helping clients talk themselves into positive change (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

The following worksheets are powerful tools to promote that change conversation and are available for download.

Use the acronym DARN as a helpful reminder of the types of change talk available to prepare the client.

Other MI approaches include:

The Readiness for Change Ruler

A diagram can help the client visualize their degree of readiness for change.

Ask the client to complete the Readiness for Change Ruler worksheet to assess their preparedness for change.

This ruler can be revisited over several sessions to assess how the client’s readiness has changed.

Knowing an individual’s or organization’s readiness for change can help prepare them for unforeseen events or planned changes that may be beneficial but have not yet been adopted.

Assessing readiness for organizational change

Rinne (2021) suggests performing a change audit to assess an organization’s readiness for change.

Consider the following:

Where is change currently hitting the organization hardest?
Which departments or teams are more ready or more consistently cope with change?
Over the last 6, 12, and 18 months, what areas have excelled? Why?
What sorts of changes are most challenging?

The answers identify areas that need support and apply lessons learned in areas that are coping well to those handling change poorly.

Assessing readiness for clients

Assessment can range from (possibly lengthy) formal interviews to a few standard questions in a consultation or a handwritten or online form (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

Interestingly, the counselor typically already knows all the answers by the time in-session assessments are complete (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

However, formal motivation assessments can still provide a great deal of insight and continue to be helpful in understanding client readiness, especially regarding changes in health behavior.

The following questionnaires and scales are worth considering:

Using Software to Improve Readiness for Change

Quenza devices 2Modern counseling, coaching, and therapy regularly make use of technology to help clients through the process of change (Ribbers & Waringa, 2015).

An online approach is particularly suited to a world where so many are flexible in their work location.

Online tools and communication can reach and support people when and where they need it most and are helpful when motivating a client’s readiness and willingness to change (Kanatouri, 2020).

9 Benefits of Quenza software

Quenza is a powerful, user-friendly application for crafting client care that increases engagement between sessions and reduces administrative work, freeing practitioners to spend more time with their clients.

Quenza is especially helpful for increasing readiness for change and supporting the client throughout their treatment journey. Benefits of the tool include:

The founders of PositivePsychology.com realized there is a need for an engaging healthcare platform and, with the collaboration of the positive psychology community, established Quenza. It is the ideal platform for practitioners, teachers, coaches, and therapists, and you can try it out for $1 for a month’s trial.

We have many resources available for supporting clients along the change journey, including:

More extensive versions of the following tools are available with a subscription to the Positive Psychology Toolkit©, but they are described briefly below:

Ask the client to state and sign on to their intention (e.g., “I will do X by [date].”).

17 Motivation & Goal Achievement Exercises
If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others reach their goals, check out this collection of 17 validated motivation & goal achievement tools for practitioners. Use them to help others turn their dreams into reality by applying the latest science-based behavioral change techniques.

A Take-Home Message

Ambivalence and resistance are normal steps on the change path and should be recognized and normalized with the client (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

Forming a positive alliance and increasing client awareness and confidence in their ability to change can foster feelings of readiness to move forward. Doing so makes it possible to help them think, feel, and behave in line with their values and goals (Hagger et al., 2020).

It is vital to understand what problem the client hopes to solve and what is standing in their way. Then, rather than instructing them in the changes to make, it is possible to evoke readiness through dialogue.

Motivational interviewing and the transtheoretical model are notably helpful in evoking change talk and recognizing that there are several stages to pass through to achieve their goal. By doing so, the client increases self-compassion and self-confidence and identifies the control and strengths they bring to each session and their lives as a whole.

Why not review the models and theories included in this article and consider which approaches and interventions would be most helpful to increase client readiness for change?

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our five positive psychology tools for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can assess your readiness by reflecting on your motivation, confidence, and the perceived benefits and challenges of the change.

The stages of change include precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination, each representing a phase in the journey toward behavior change.

Improving readiness involves setting clear goals, building self-efficacy, and developing a detailed plan to guide the change process.

Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D., is an experienced psychologist, coach, consultant, and psychology lecturer. He works with individuals and groups to promote resilience, mental toughness, strength-based coaching, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and flourishing. Alongside teaching psychology at the University of Liverpool, he is an amateur endurance athlete who has completed numerous ultra-marathons and is an Ironman.

Jeremy Sutton