Growth is the goal. Every leader, executive, and team strives to increase numbers, influence, opportunities, health, or impact. But in this relentless pursuit of growth, there's a dangerous tension between two powerful forces that often go unchecked: speed and momentum.
Understanding the difference between the two is non-negotiable. Mismanaging them can cost or kill your organization. And yet, mastering their balance is what fuels sustainable, impactful growth.
Speed vs. Momentum: What’s the Difference?
Speed is the often out-of-control, breakneck pace at which leaders push organizations toward a target. It comes with snap decisions and minimal consideration of readiness. But here's the hard truth about speed—it’s costly. It creates unnecessary damage, drains resources, and, if unchecked, burns out your team entirely.
However, healthy speed sparks momentum. Healthy speed is a 45-to 90-day burst that aims to spark momentum. It has clear metrics and time on the calendar.
Momentum, by contrast, is the measured snowball effect. It’s the growth that picks up pace over time, not in chaotic bursts but in deliberate surges. Momentum feels like a balance between control and freedom, like you’re riding a wave but still steering toward your destination. While speed exhausts, momentum endures. When properly guided, it doesn’t have an expiration date. It manages dips and peaks while continuing to move toward the desired goal.
But make no mistake—both speed and momentum can break things. The line between them is razor-thin. And here’s the kicker—you can’t grow without both.
Momentum Fuels Organizational Growth
Momentum is forward progress. It’s not perfect, and it’s not frictionless. But momentum enables your organization to overcome obstacles while staying fixated your vision for the future.
Momentum Is Not:
Just an increase in numbers.
The unmeasured movement lacking purpose or direction.
A charismatic leader telling a story without a foundation of truth.
Momentum Is:
Forward progress despite obstacles.
A vehicle that constantly evaluates what is true and what is necessary.
A force that requires active guidance, not passive hope.
How Do You Guide Momentum?
The key to momentum isn’t luck. It’s leadership—intentional, values-driven leadership. Momentum must be cultivated, guided, and adjusted over time to avoid stagnation or derailment. Here’s how leaders can guide momentum effectively in their organizations:
1. Agile Decision-Making
Momentum doesn’t live in rigid processes. It thrives when leaders make constant small adjustments while keeping the ultimate vision clear. Stay nimble. Evaluate conditions as they change. Pivot quickly when necessary, but ensure every adjustment aligns with the mission.
2. Mission and Metrics as the North Star
The foundation of momentum lies in clarity. A clear mission is non-negotiable it’s your North Star, reminding your team of the "why" behind the hard work. Metrics then provide the "how" by giving measurable goals that track progress along the way.
3. Values as Guardrails
Momentum requires movement, but movement without boundaries can lead to disaster. Values act as guardrails, ensuring every decision, hire, and opportunity stays aligned with what matters most to your organization. Values protect momentum from drifting into unintended territories.
4. Avoid Whiplash Decisions
Nothing kills momentum faster than erratic leadership decisions that jar your team out of alignment. Don’t swerve. Erratic, reactionary choices only create confusion. Instead, lead with consistency and intentionality, even in the face of uncertainty.
5. “Cage” Today to Build Tomorrow’s Bridges
Momentum thrives when today's reality is stable enough to carry tomorrow's progress. This means putting systems in place that support the present while enabling future growth. Don’t overextend. Secure your foundation so the leaps your organization takes are on solid ground.
The Role of Speed
While momentum drives long-term success, speed has a critical role to play. Speed, when deployed intentionally, acts as the catalyst for momentum. It’s the starter pistol for the next great push forward. Done right, a 45-90 day sprint helps spark movement. If done wrong, the organization burns out and is left reeling.
But here’s the catch: speed must come with a clear endpoint.
Without one, you risk burning out your people, depleting resources, and wasting the momentum you’re trying to build.
Why Balancing Both Matters
Speed and momentum are not opposing forces. They are complementary, and each has its place in organizational growth. Balancing them requires discipline, foresight, and an unshakeable commitment to your organization's mission and values.
Speed sparks and momentum sustains.
When the rhythm is off, chaos reigns. Speed without structure becomes recklessness. Momentum without direction becomes stagnation. But when the balance is right, organizations create lasting, meaningful growth and navigate obstacles with grace and purpose.
Momentum in Leadership
At its core, momentum is leadership in action. It’s not automatic or accidental. It’s guided. It’s built through intentional choices and value-driven strategies. Leaders who master momentum don’t just aim for growth; they cultivate it with care, building resilient organizations ready to weather whatever challenges come their way.
To every executive reading this, consider the state of your organization. Are you sprinting recklessly, draining your team? Or are you guiding momentum, ensuring the forward progress that truly matters? We help hundreds of leaders spark momentum and undo the damage caused by speed. If you need help determining what season you're in or how to grow, our team can give you quick insights into what's next for you.