Everyone could say “not yet”. Someone had to say “I will”
Cases and implementation · 3 September 2026
Milind Tailor assessed suppliers, risk and major commercial decisions for a living. I expected a conversation about the numbers. He told me the numbers were the easiest part of the project to employ people with disabilities. The hard part was taking responsibility in an organisation where every function could add a further condition, while none was judged on whether the project began.
Key points
- The economics were clear from the start. The uncertainty lay in the first implementation: the processes, the lack of precedent and who would put their name to the risk.
- Full agreement among all stakeholders never arrived. The sponsor had to accept the risk and say “start” at the same time.
- The cost of the first implementation was largely one-off. Its playbook, onboarding and capacity planning could then be reused.
What this means for a company
This is not a tale of a heroic leader overcoming a bad organisation. The people were capable; the process made “not yet” safe for everyone and “I will” safe for no one. If the company treats the project as a change in how work is organised, a rate card and procurement approval will not suffice. It needs somebody authorised to say “start” and somebody who will own the real work the next morning. Without both, the organisation has not refused. It waits, and the cost of inaction waits with it.
Originally published 3 September 2026.