A Thought on Change Management

From: The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 – 1527)

“It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.

For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order, this lukewarmness arising partly from fear of their adversaries, who have the laws in their favour; and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have actual experience of it. Thus it arises that on every opportunity for attacking the reformer, his opponents do so with the zeal of partisans; the others only defend him half-heartedly, so that between them he runs great danger.

It is necessary, however, in order to investigate thoroughly this question, to examine whether these innovations are independent, or whether they depend upon others, that is to say, whether in order to carry out their designs they have to entreat or are capable to compel. In the first case they will invariably succeed ill and accomplish nothing; but when they can depend on their own strength and are able to use force, they rarely fail.“