Persistence!

When you're getting something new going, the difference between success and failure is often a matter of time: how long you give it before you give up. Efforts that begin with high hopes inevitably hit a disappointing sag. It's Kanter's Law: "Everything can look like a failure in the middle.“

In the messy middle, unexpected obstacles pop up because the path is uncharted. Fatigue sets in. Team members turn over. Impatient critics attack just when you think you're gaining traction. Tough challenges almost inevitably take longer and cost more than our optimistic predictions.

That's why persistence and perseverance are important for anyone leading a new venture, change project, or turnaround. But the miserable middle offers a choice point: Do you stick with the venture and make mid-course corrections, or do you abandon it? Do you support incumbents making progress even though the job is not yet finished, or do you abandon them for another group's unproven promises?

Persist and pivot, and the effort could go on to success. Pull out in the messy middle, and by definition the effort is a failure. The issue is deciding which direction to take.  There are 12 key questions that can help you decide whether it should be shut down or helped through the messy middle:

• Are the initial reasons for the effort still valid, with no consequential external changes?
• Do the needs for which this a solution remain unmet, or are competing solutions still unproven or inadequate?
• Would the situation get worse if this effort stopped?
• Is it more cost-effective to continue than to pay the costs of restarting?
• Is the vision attracting more adherents?
• Are leaders still enthusiastic, committed, and focused on the effort?
• Are resources available for continuing investment and adjustments?
• Is skepticism and resistance declining?
• Is the working team motivated to keep going?
• Have critical deadlines and key milestones been met?
• Are there signs of progress, in that some problems have been solved, new activities are underway, and trends are positive?
• Is there a concrete achievement — a successful demonstration, prototype, or proof of concept?

If the answers are mostly Yes, then don't give up. Figure out what redirection is needed, strategize your way over obstacles, reengage the team, answer the critics, and argue for more time and resources. Everything worth doing requires tenacity.

If the answers trend toward No, then cut your losses and move on. Persistence doesn't mean being pig-headed.

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