Introduction

Change! Of Course! The need for change persistsits ubiquitousimpossible to ignore. Whatever we consider, its there. Everything seems so cutting edge. Whatever our occupation or avocation, things are changing and we dare not ignore them. Whether its the economy, threats to security, climate, communication, transportation, business, government, education, and most everything else, we perceive immense things are going on that require new methods and new responses. So how do we do that? I hope to help by presenting considerations and methods I have developed over fifty years out on the cutting edge, in both the public and private sectors. Whether evaluating and conducting private sector change, evaluating and proposing national security needs, as a combat pilot and as an experimental flight test pilot, or raising a family, the considerations and methods employed are surprisingly similar, and I present them to you below.

Doing Change
Pushing the envelope is never easy, and often it has an emotional element. Even today, when extending my experience to another level, I am reminded of the pilots prayer: Dear Lord, please dont let me screw this up. But if it is carefully worked out it can be done, most of the time. Perception, Planning, and Performance are keys to successful execution. Each must be considered in considerable detail:

Performing Change
Perception, planning and performance are not serial events, they are interleaved. Considerations Corporate Issues Management Leadership Scanlan's Laws Expect Losses Don't Go Way Out Without A Lotta Ways Out

Plan on the Plan Not Working Prepare Alternate Course of Action Be Prepared to Undo What You Just Did Take Baby Steps Executing the Product Cycle R&D Production Distribution Retirement

Perceiving Change
Rather than responding to uncertain feelings one must consider them in depth. Help the Lord out with some homework. Perceiving Anomalies Determining current threats, current uncertainties in the environment. Perceiving Needs Determining opportunities dictated by logic. Perceiving Opportunities Determining how interact with current skills and opportunities to effect what needs to change, and what can change. Perceiving Markets All too oftenmost oftenlogic for needs and solutions are thwarted by political and conventional expediency. Evaluating Current Markets

Decision Makers Opinion Makers Evaluating Potential Markets Decision Makers Opinion Makers

Preparing for Change

It's best to build on a current skill base rather than starting all over. Maintaing a Corporate Skill Audit: What do we do? What can we do? Who should we recruit? Evaluating Skill Enhancements Required: What should we do? Determining Sources For Skill Enhancements: Experts Schools Marketing Soliciting Markets. Developing Markets. Planning Planning for Execution

Planning the Product Life Cycle R&D Production Distribution Retirement Planning for Contingencies Plan on the Plan Not Working

Prepare Alternate Course of Action Be Prepared to Undo What You Just Did Prepare to Take Baby Steps

Conclusion