I disagree... that's a bit like saying you'll employ a hairdresser... and let them do what they want for a year before you assess their performance.
But if you want a major change, say a lass wants to go from short hair to very long, then that's EXACTLY what she does have to do.
The hairdresser will tell her, "it ain't always going to look great as it goes from where it is now to where you want it to be, and there are going to be times when it's at just the right length to be a real pain in the arse, but those are the steps you'll have to go through if you want to get from here to there."
Kind of what all the economists and politicians are telling us about the current state of the country. You've got to give people the time for their decisions to make a difference before you judge their effectiveness - anything else just becomes a personality and popularity contest.