Want to see rapid behavioural change in your organisation? Here’s how.

At GRIST, we've seen firsthand how the smallest changes can make the biggest difference. And this is particularly true when it comes to the behaviours people display. In our last post, we explored how behavioural change is best driven through behavioural coaching; helping people make those small adjustments in their behaviours to get better results. Behavioural coaching isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach but a personalised journey for each person to reach their best potential.

In the world of coaching, not all models are created equal. GROW coaching, while the best-known coaching model, is not always the best fit for managing change quickly and effectively. GROW has a great structure and serves well for long-term career progression, but if you want rapid behavioural change, the ACDC model is a super-charged, tactical leadership tool. ACDC’s focus on micro-behaviours, simplicity, practice, and accountability makes it an exceptional tool for leaders seeking immediate, effective change within their teams.

The beauty of the ACDC model is that it's about making small changes that add up to big results. It's not about changing everything all at once but about focusing on one behaviour at a time.

Diagram showing The GROW model image versus ACDC and where they fit - the GROW model works best for yearly/quarterly performance review conversations whereas ACDC is your daily, weekly, monthly behavioural coaching tool

Why does ACDC work?

The methodology behind the ACDC model is rooted in behavioural psychology principles, like self-determination theory. ACDC creates autonomy through discussion and buy-in from the coachee – they’re the ones identifying and setting the behaviour they’ll work on. It builds competence through mastering one small step at a time – creating a series of little wins that build momentum and confidence. And it fosters relatedness by connecting team members, peers and leaders and aligning activity with meaningful purpose.

ACDC centres on a structured but flexible framework that enables leaders to deliver tactical coaching conversations with an immediate impact on business performance. It promotes on-the-job application, ensuring practice happens in the coaching sessions itself, and that deliberate practice continues on the job as the team member puts the new behaviour they’re developing into action.

Why ACDC trumps GROW for rapid change

While the GROW model has its merits for holistic development over a longer period of time, when it comes to immediate, impactful change, ACDC stands out as the clear winner:

• Focused micro-behavioural change: Unlike GROW, ACDC targets specific micro-behaviours that need immediate change. These are easily identifiable, manageable changes that employees can implement right away and see immediate results, providing a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue on the path of improvement.

• Simplicity and speed: ACDC's 20 key micro-behaviours, five for each phase, are easy to learn and quick to implement. This rapid uptake is crucial in fast-paced environments where time is a scarce resource and quick adaptation is necessary.

• Emphasis on practice: ACDC encourages role-playing and deliberate practice of new behaviours in real-world situations. This hands-on approach ensures that the new behaviours are not just understood conceptually but are ingrained in the individual's regular practices.

• Follow-up and accountability: By setting specific micro-goals with a timeframe, quantity, and measure, ACDC enhances accountability. This practice not only boosts confidence levels but also ensures regular check-ins, making the model more impactful and transformative.

A coach and a team member in a conversation looking at a computer

ACDC in action

Sarah, a team leader at a tech start-up, noticed communication inconsistencies within her team. These inconsistencies were leading to missed deadlines and duplicated work. She needed to address this with the whole team.

Using the ACDC model, Sarah set the scene for her team on a Monday morning – giving them a strong ‘why’ upfront by linking what she wanted to address (communication) with what they were trying to achieve as a group – delivering the software upgrade they were working on, on time.

They explored the current behaviours affecting communication, and how this was affecting each other and their work – before identifying what would actually work better and give them all a better result if it was done. She got the team to commit to immediate, small changes to improve the situation.

These immediate changes were specific, simple, and actionable, such as thoroughly reading emails or regularly updating task progress. Each team member had their own micro-behaviour to work on that would contribute to the larger desired outcome for the team.

Sarah followed up on progress through the week, and by Friday she was already seeing positive results – not just in the communication that was happening, but team morale was up – everyone was contributing positively, in their own way, and with a clear understanding of what they needed to do differently.

These changes weren't drastic. They were as simple as making sure they read all emails thoroughly or regularly updating their task progress. They were small, manageable shifts that everyone felt they could achieve. But these micro changes made a big difference to the team's efficiency and harmony.

So, whether it's a little tune-up or a big career goal, the ACDC model is your go-to tool for speedy, effective changes. And as we've seen with Sarah and her team, these small changes can make a big difference in a short amount of time.