Becoming a Better Boss Secret 16: The Power of Momentum
Momentum: Strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events.
Momentum is about pace. How many times have you seen a big launch party – ideas with great promise – just fizzle out. Or, a special project is introduced and we start off excited and motivated. There’s a sense of urgency and we devise a plan to meet every two weeks to keep our project moving forward. Then, something happens and we cancel a meeting. Over time, we lose momentum and when we lose momentum, we lose the excitement, motivation, and passion to keep moving forward.
There is much to be said for creating and maintaining high momentum. A sense of urgency helps us to achieve timely goals and outcomes. A desire to get things done quickly – to be successful, works in our favor.
The role of a boss is to push, just enough, to keep people excited about an initiative. When we keep momentum high, both productivity and employee engagement improve. People see results and feel a sense of achievement.
Tips for Creating Momentum
- Keep the pace high.
- Meet with employees often – possibly daily!
- Create and feed a sense of urgency.
- Insist cancelled meetings be rescheduled and promptly held.
- Help employees prioritize their work so they can stay on top of projects.
- Use a team cheer to keep people focused and excited.
- Continuously collaborate in setting and achieving challenging project goals.
- Set the example for your employees – they look to you for clues on how to behave.
- Have frequent team conversations about the progress you are observing.
- Reward behavior that you see that you’d like to see again.
When you ride the wave of momentum, everything and everyone in the wave gets caught up in the power generated. Things become easier, more exciting, and when at its peak it is almost impossible to stop the magic.
For more information and 24 more secrets, check out Becoming a Better Boss – Your Guidebook to 25 Fundamental Management Responsibilities is now available at Amazon.com!