In a recent conversation with one of my clients, he revealed that a significant percentage of his customers were taking up lots of his time because they distrusted the new billing system he had just installed. This caught him totally by surprise because he had carefully weighed the benefits and risks before making the decision. He knew that both he and his customers would benefit from the change.

Does this mean he made a bad decision? Did he neglect the risks? 

No and no. His decision was sound. His mistake was in not separating the decision to make the change from the decision about how to make the change. Had he examined the transition with the same care as the original decision before leaping into action, he would have been better prepared to see the changes through his customers’ eyes, anticipate problems, and address concerns.

You could argue that Netflix made the same mistake last year. Their decision to pin their future on streaming content was sound. It was the transition they bungled. And it cost them a million customers.

Once we make a decision, we are usually eager to act. Too often our plans proceed almost as fast as we lay them down. Too often we forget the simple question, “What could go wrong during the transition?” What about our customers, employees, and suppliers? Our members, shareholders, and volunteers? How are they going to react? When and how will the changes affect them? Where will we create burden or worry?

To avoid this problem, separate the two decisions – the what from the how, the desired change from how to change – and be sure to examine the risks as part of both decision processes.

On the flip side, some people leap so quickly to what could go wrong during any transition that they are never able to make significant changes, never willing to consider a new destination.

In this case, the solution is the same. Separate the two decisions – the destination from the route – and be sure to examine the risks as part of both decision processes. If you are clear about your destination and believe in the benefits, you can almost always find an effective way to get there.