Forward or back?

In revolutionary times, it's tempting to work to get things back to the way they were.

How often, exactly, does that plan actually work out the way you hoped?

I think it's worth beginning a policy, strategy or tactical discussion that revolves around a choice between forward or back by saying, "We'd like to roll the market/technology/competitive landscape back to the way it used to be, even though it almost never works out that way. Here's why it's going to be different this time."

A little bit of honesty goes a long way in helping you be realistic about how you're going to spend your time. The good old days are old. That's part of the deal.