“The Fatal Flaw of ‘Ready, Fire, Aim’” How Smart Change Leaders Prepare Before They Launch

Dear Change Leader,

Ready. Fire. Aim.

Sound familiar? If you’re wincing right now, you’re not alone. This all-too-common approach to change initiatives might be the most expensive three-word sequence in business.

As one veteran change leader noted in Bent Flyvbjerg’s “How Big Things Get Done“:

“Change Projects, not only do they often go wrong, but some start wrong.”

Let that sink in for a moment.

The Language of False Starts

Our everyday expressions tell the story:

“Getting off on the wrong foot”                        “Building castles on the sand”

“Putting the cart before the horse”                   “Stumbling out of the gate”

These aren’t just colorful phrases – they’re warning signs that flash red in the early days of change projects. They signal:

• Launching without clear direction
• Creating plans built on wishful thinking
• Skipping crucial groundwork
• Misreading the landscape entirely

And yes, we’ve all been there. That pressure to act. That urge to be seen “doing something.” That executive breathing down your neck for immediate action.

The Rush to Action Trap

Why do seasoned leaders fall into these traps? Often, it comes down to leadership self-deceptions:

• The illusion of urgency (“We must act now!”)
• Leadership theater (“Look busy!”)
• Reaction over reflection (“Something must be done!”)
• Fear of analysis paralysis (“We can’t study this forever!”)

But here’s a truth to consider: While proper preparation might feel like the start is being delayed, it’s lightning-fast compared to the time and effort required to recover from a failed change initiative.

Your Secret Weapon: The Pre-Mortem

Want to dramatically increase your chances of success? Enter the Pre-Mortem – a powerful tool developed by risk management researcher and expert Gary Klein.

Unlike a post-mortem (which helps everyone except the deceased), a pre-mortem helps you identify and address fatal flaws before they can kill your project.

Here’s how to run one:

1. Assemble Your Team

• Include diverse perspectives
• Welcome the skeptics (they’re often your best risk detectors)
• Create psychological safety for honest discussion

2. Time Travel to Failure

• Fast-forward 6-12 months and imagine the project has failed spectacularly
• Make a vivid and specific description of this failure

3. Generate Failure Scenarios

• Each person independently lists potential causes
• Be brutally honest
• No idea is too small or too scary

4. Consolidate and Prioritize

• Collect and share all the causes
• Group related concerns
• Identify the most likely and most devastating risks

5. Design Preventive Actions

• Develop specific countermeasures for each major risk
• Create early warning systems
• Build contingency plans

Your Next Steps

1. Schedule a Pre-Mortem

Block 90 minutes with your team within the next two weeks. Send the invitation today.

2. Set the Stage

Share this newsletter with participants. Ask them to come prepared with their concerns and insights.

3. Create Safety

Make it clear that surfacing potential problems now is a gift for the project, not a criticism of those who have developed it.

Remember: In change leadership, an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of failure. Your project deserves a strong foundation. Provide it with one.

Until next time,

P.S. Still feeling the urge to “Ready, Fire, Aim”? Ask yourself: Would you rather explain a two-week delay now, or a total project failure six months from now?