Piles of uncompleted action plans later he discovered that no one believed they could deliver the aggressive goals. We were so distracted by our own adrenaline that we failed to read the sign posts. How right she is. Note the enthusiasm index in the responses. Pay particular attention to the early signs.
Enthusiasm is the highest at the beginning of any project.
Missed early deadlines signal incomplete commitment. It is also true in building accountability. Take the time up front to build commitment to a common goal, or spend a lot of time later changing the goal. Therefore, take time to ensure that each person sees clearly that accomplishing the organization's goals will contribute to realizing their own. The CEO of the computer firm realized that the new sales incentive plan disrupted the sales managers' ongoing relationships with their sales staffs, and that that relationship was more important to the sales managers than the interests of a far away corporate office.