Reference #284: The First 90 Days
Early decisions in a process have a disproportionate impact on the eventual outcome. Hence so does the application of early influence.
When decisions are made incrementally (incrementalism), each decision sets a new psychological reference point from where one defines the problem and sees alternatives. After enough decisions have been made, even before a final decision is reached, the actual choice may be a foregone solution.
It's essential to influence decision-making before momentum builds in the wrong direction.
Watkins. The First 90 Days, 2013. (218)