If you have gotten this far in the book and you still don't understand why the waitlist is probably the most important part of this whole process, then I have failed you. I am afraid we might have to break up, because there's just no future between us. It's not you, it's me.

Through the waitlist—and only through the waitlist—is where this whole process goes from change by addition to change by decision. I opted to make this little section its own chapter so that every time you come back to the table of contents to reference another part of the book, you might catch a glimpse of this chapter heading and be reminded “don't forget the [insert favorite expletive] waitlist!”

The strategic planning team of a regional insurance company explained to me that the waitlist is essential for combatting what they called the “Minnesota nice filter.” What they meant is that far too often the leadership team will go into a meeting and identify the key priorities. Then everyone nods their heads eagerly, basks for a moment in the harmony that only consensus can create, and then goes back to working on all the stuff they were working on before. Never mind that those other things weren't listed as a priority.

Based on my experience, this isn't just a Minnesota problem, or a Midwest problem, it is a West Coast problem, an East Coast problem, a fried chicken and sweet tea Deep South problem, a European Union problem, an African problem, a Brazilian problem, an Asian problem, and an Australian problem. If you don't call out other priorities and projects openly and explicitly that will populate your waitlist, this will happen every time.

So three months from now when you're knee-deep into your new change, and it's just not taking effect, and you are frustrated, staying up nights, calling special meetings, and assembling task forces, trying to figure out what went wrong, scratching your head, and saying to yourself, “Everyone created their sprints, why isn't this working?” please do me and you both a favor. Crack open this book or scroll through your e-reader to find one of the seven copies of Domino you purchased and come directly to this chapter. It shall set you free.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. One more thing…

Don't forget the waitlist!