Expecting the drop

When people embark on a change project, they expect a gradual effort that ultimately results in success.

This never happens. 

What perpetuates this mistaken belief about the nature of change are the initial improvements. You start a new diet, and the first few days you lose weight. Then the cravings start, the weight loss slows down, and all the signals you've been tracking to show you're on the right track are showing that you're not getting the results you want. 

This always happens.  

The same is true in organizational change. The initial sense of optimism soon gives way to challenge and fatigue. When that happens, employees fall back on old habits. 

If enough thought and analysis went into the change plan, you'll have the confidence to push through, and to project that confidence to the rest of the team.

A beacon they can follow when times are dark.