I was facilitating a leadership roundtable group with a few small business owners and we discussed some roadblocks to momentum they have encountered? Based on their responses this post and later ones will address some of these challenges.
First, allow me to define momentum. Leadership expert and author John Maxwell in his bestselling book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership describes the Law of Momentum as a leader’s best friend. The best way to describe this is the idea of a train heading toward a brick wall. If a train is heading toward a wall at 55 miles per hour the momentum will drive it through the wall, but if the train is only going 5 MPH then it will bump the wall and stop with little to no damage to the wall.
For example, an individual trying to lose weight drops 5 pounds right away, then another 3 and they are seeing the payoff so they have momentum to keep following the path. A salesman keeps getting “no’s” and finally closes a deal, the momentum is starting, but it still feels slow. Once he gets rolling and closes multiple deals he begins to feel he can do anything.
What prevents this momentum? One of the obstacles is ourselves and our emotions. At times our enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm for the project we are working on prevents us from continuing the process. This lack of enthusiasm could come from multiple sources:
A lack of vision
Do we understand why we are doing what we are doing? Two bricklayers are working on a project. One is apathetic because he feels the job is tiring and monotonous while the other is whistling with enthusiasm. When asked why, the second says “I am building a cathedral!” He has vision.
A lack of autonomy
According to author Daniel Pink in his book Drive, one of the key factors for motivation is autonomy or a feeling that one is in control of his or her own life. If we see the vision, but do not have the ability to speak into the vision, our enthusiasm may quickly wane.
A lack of buy-in
Not only does buy-in apply to the vision, but equally (if not more) important is the leader. Do those who lack enthusiasm simply not like or trust the leader? Maybe they do not buy into the bigger picture and are content doing a specific role at an average level.
A lack of self-leadership
What recharges you? Are you spending enough time recharging your battery to rekindle your enthusiasm? If not, what do you need to do to renew your enthusiasm? Go to a conference, read a book, join a group of like-minded people, share new ideas . . .
These are just four possible causes of a lack of enthusiasm. The reality is no one can make you enthusiastic. What is your passion? What is your purpose? What makes you laugh? What makes you cry? What makes you cheer loudly? Answer these and you may be on the path to finding your greatest enthusiasm. If you need help thinking into how to gain momentum personally or with your team, contact me for a thinking partner session. In the meantime, Lead Well.
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