Last Minute Changes Before EOFY
READ TIME - 5 MINUTES
"Just got off a call. The COO wants to tweak the rollout. Again," said Kavita, rubbing her forehead.
Luca glanced up from his laptop, half-smiling. "Classic EOFY drama. If it’s not a last-minute change, is it even June?"
Kavita sighed. "I know we need to deliver, but rushing now could mean mistakes. There’s got to be a smarter way."
When Last-Minute Changes Threaten to Derail Your EOFY Plans
End of financial year brings a special kind of chaos, doesn’t it: tight deadlines, shifting priorities, and a sudden flurry of “urgent” changes.
The pressure to say yes and push things through is real.
But we’ve discovered that the best change managers know: how you handle the rush matters more than how fast you move.
Rushing through late-breaking features and/or changes to your approach can create confusion, introduce risk, and put both you and your stakeholders under unnecessary stress.
But with the right tactics, you can respond with confidence and keep quality high—even when it feels like you have no time to think.
If this is something you’re dealing with now, here are a couple of useful ideas:
Strategy 1: The "Pre-Mortem"
What it is:
Instead of waiting for things to go wrong, run a quick “pre-mortem” as soon as a last-minute change is requested.
Imagine it’s a week after the deadline and things have gone off the rails. What happened, and why?
Why it works:
This flips the usual “post-mortem” on its head, helping you and your team spot risks, bottlenecks, or unintended consequences before you commit to a rushed change.
It invites a more conscious pause; an intentional choice to slow down and get clear before speeding up.
This planning tactic is a staple in high-stakes industries (like live events and crisis response) for a reason.
It saves time, money, and headaches.
How to do it:
Gather your core team for a 20-minute huddle.
Ask: “If this last-minute change fails, what would be the most likely reasons?”
Set a timer and for the next 5 minutes, get everyone to list all the potential pitfalls they can come up with (one per Post-It note). Think: missed comms, resource gaps, stakeholder confusion etc.
Then grab all the Post-Its like they're a pack of cards, and dole out each pitfall card so everyone has the same number.
Set another timer, this time for 10 minutes, and get everyone to quickly plan how to avoid or mitigate each of the pitfalls they have in their hands.
Collate everything and use these insights to plan your approach.
Pro tip: Document your findings and share them with leadership.
It’s a great way to show you’re proactive (not just reactive) about managing risk, and that you're leading from a place of clarity, not chaos.
Extra pro tip: If the risks outweigh the benefits/can’t be mitigated, use your pre-mortem insights to recommend a smarter, phased approach or to push back on unrealistic timelines.
It’s okay to say, “Yes, and here’s what we’d need to make that successful.”
Strategy 2: The "Time-Boxed Pilot"
What it is:
Instead of rolling out a rushed change to everyone, carve out a small, defined window - a “pilot sprint” - to test the change with a limited group.
This approach, borrowed from agile development, lets you learn fast without risking the whole project.
Why it works:
A time-boxed pilot gives you real feedback in real time, reduces the risk of widespread disruption, and provides evidence for making a go/no-go decision before full rollout.
It also buys breathing room: for your team, your stakeholders, and your nervous system.
Because staying present under pressure is what sets great change leaders apart.
How to do it:
Identify a small group (a team, branch, or pilot users) who can trial the change for a set, short period (e.g., 1–2 days).
Set clear goals: What must be tested or validated in this window?
Collect feedback quickly. Ask: what worked, what didn’t, what needs tweaking?
Use what you learn to refine the change or adjust your broader approach.
Pro tip: Frame the pilot as an “exclusive preview” or “sneak peek” to boost engagement and position early adopters as valuable contributors.
People feel more invested when they’re treated like co-creators.
Extra pro tip: If you can, share quick wins and lessons learned from the pilot with the wider group.
This can help build confidence, reduce resistance, and remind everyone involved in the change initiative that progress doesn’t have to mean pressure.
The Bottom Line
This time of year is notorious for last-minute curveballs, but you don’t have to sacrifice quality for speed.
By running a pre-mortem and piloting changes in small bursts, you’ll keep your cool, protect your team, and deliver better outcomes, even when the clock is ticking.
You’ve got this!
That’s it for this week.
We’ll be back next Tuesday with more practical ways to keep change moving—no matter what the new financial year throws your way!
See you then,
Team EVER
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