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When you walk into a situation at work, you can often see what is broken, the bad behaviors, the missing processes. Since you have been hired to fix the problem, you roll up your sleeves and are eager to get started.

Your training has taught you to identify the root causes with razor sharp precision. You can describe the as-is and to-be, design the business architecture, and show how the dots connect.

There remains one small problem: while everyone will agree with your analysis, no one seems to care. When you propose an action or a project, that sound you hear is either everyone taking a step backwards or the door slamming as your stakeholder leaves the room in a huff.

If you want to execute on your plan, you need to start with trust and credibility. Ask the question, “Where does it itch and how can I scratch it?” Not literally, but if you know what their pain points are, you can pick an easy or early win and deliver results. After you put a few points on the board, you will get permission to work on the bigger issues.

Getting that permission, and getting commitment are your key milestones when driving change.