I recently attended a lecture by Carly Fiorina (in the magnificent Paramount Theater) on the topic of change. She made one point that I thought was particularly noteworthy (paraphrased):
By the time you've got consensus that change is necessary it's too late – you've lost your opportunity to competitors. The biggest challenge in leading change is building momentum early on, when it is most difficult to obtain buy in that change is necessary and agreement on what needs to be done.
If you are focused on getting everyone to agree, you are wasting your time. Get the important people to agree, keep the naysayers involved and engaged in dialogue, and in the meantime get started with smaller initiatives that will deliver early wins and build support for the cause.
Fiorina is promoting the paperback version of her book. I haven't read it yet, so I can't vouch for it, but you can find it at Amazon:
Tough Choices: A Memoir
by Carly Fiorina
2006
During her time at Glenbrook, Erin focused on client engagements in business payments, cross-border transactions, bill payment, and the intersection of corporate finance, banking, and ERP/accounting. She has nearly twenty years of experience leading increasingly complex payment initiatives for corporate clients and advising financial institutions and payment technologists on the development of their payment capabilities.
Erin is also the founder of Forte Financial, a consulting firm focused on corporate finance efficiency, technology, and process improvement. She is a past president of the Financial Women’s Association of San Francisco and also a two-term past president of the San Francisco Treasury Management Association. Erin is no longer with Glenbrook, but contributed greatly during her time at the firm.