They were behind the car pushing, and once it got going, others jumped in, and instead of straining and struggling, some just had a hand on, barely contributing. That is the power of momentum. . . . and also the deception.
As leaders, we may think things are going well and leading very effectively, but the reality is we may be benefitting from the deception of momentum.
In his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership*, leadership expert John C. Maxwell describes the law of momentum as a leader’s best friend. He highlights seven truths about it, and in this post, I will highlight how three of these truths demonstrate momentum can be deceptive.
Momentum Exaggerates
I have had the opportunity to be around many sports teams. Players don’t notice their minor injuries when a team succeeds and think they are indestructible. When momentum is not going their way, and they are losing, those minor injuries blow up into being out for weeks.
We think we are conquering the world when sales are high and cash flow is good. Use that momentum to keep people working at a pace that will continue those results. Beware of the deception, though; when we have momentum, if we lose sight of doing the work that got us there “suddenly” the momentum may stop. If we stop taking steps as we push the car . . . the car stops moving.
Momentum Makes Leaders Look Better
You can spot this one easily if you have been around sports. The coach with talented players they inherited from a previous coach who created a great culture may still have success in year one because of the momentum of the prior coach. Year two may drop a little if they lose key players. By year three, that coach’s culture has become more ingrained, and if the coach keeps the momentum going, they look good; if not, people see how effective a leader the coach is.
When you are a new leader, beware of the deception of a previous leader’s success. Are your initiatives gaining traction, or have you been riding the previous leader’s success? When the momentum slows, you must demonstrate your leadership ability by pushing the car uphill and getting it moving WITH your team.
Momentum Mutes Poor Performance
A new person joins the organization and seems to be closing every deal, and you think they are a star player. Little do you realize they are good with the people that others have already cultivated the relationship to the point they were ready to buy. Nor do you realize there is such brand awareness and positive press that everyone wants what you provide. This is momentum every leader wants.
Here is the deception. When the momentum slows, that new person’s skills that are lacking may become more apparent. The reality they were not cultivating new relationships becomes obvious. When momentum was high, their poor performance was hidden. As the leader, pay attention to where your people are and need to grow so momentum can continue. Get the individual with just a few fingers on the car to contribute more.
Take a moment and look at your organization or team. Are any of these deceptions getting you trapped? What can you do to prevent the deception and continue the momentum? Want to dive deeper into these 21 Laws? Contact me to discuss bringing this to your organization or team. Lead Well.
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*Concepts are adapted from the book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Dr. John C. Maxwell.
