Change with Confidence: Answers to the 50 Biggest Questions that Keep Change Leaders Up at Night

Chapter 3

What Have We Done Before, and Did It Work?

Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.

—Edmund Burke

Reviewing lessons learned from big change projects is the fastest way to anticipate how the organization will perceive your project. People create meaning from past experiences, and these experiences are key to knowing how you can positively position your project. This information is held by colleagues who led or worked on the projects, and by overlaying the details of your project with those from the past you will see clearly those aspects likely to be supported and those that aren't. Highlighting past successes and incorporating answers to likely objections will help you form positive first impressions. Failing to gather ...