The uncertainty that comes with change is a debilitating fear in many firms. Intimidated by the thought of straying from the tried and true, those who are hired to lead often fall short as they grow comfortable with mediocre, secure process methods. However, a key factor influencing the outcome of any internal business improvement project is leadership. Executives must overcome two distinct obstacles to enable real improvement: they must master fear of change themselves, and they must convince the personnel under their authority to cooperate and contribute to improvement projects.

An effective leader must be forward-thinking and decisive, not dormant and insecure. Often when facing the possibility of failure, a leader must make the decision for the collective group to try. When nothing new or different is ever attempted or strived for, a firm soon becomes stagnant and is overtaken by competitors.  

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