Oftentimes change management procedures fail to meet goals because of poor planning in the initial stages. At the start of any change process, managers should focus intently on: Previous Page Next Page Page 12 of 20 Accurately diagnosing the problem or opportunity, and methodically collecting target data Beginning the change implementation as fast as possible so as to leverage first-mover advantages External forces in the industry, such as technology and politics Keeping the change management project secretive, in order to safeguard the organization's intellectual property