Why Momentum Keeps Slipping (#248)
The Confident Leader
BOOST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
An exasperated CEO said, “When will we hit our hockey stick growth? We’re doing everything possible to create momentum, but nothing seems to create the traction we want.” He and his team were pushing, but something hidden was pushing back.
“If you can remove friction, you can create momentum.” – James Clear
This Week’s Edition
The real question isn’t how to go faster; it’s what’s slowing you down. To build real momentum, you need to stop pushing blindly and start diagnosing precisely.
According to McKinsey, companies with closely aligned operations and leadership practices experience revenue growth 2.4 times faster than their peers.
Clarify Your Thinking
One of the most coveted things in business is momentum. Surprisingly, most leaders are unsure how to create it.
They assume that going faster will magically create momentum. Therefore, they apply significant effort to increase velocity: push harder, work more hours, throw more resources at the problem.
But if there is friction in your system or processes, additional force will create more drag and ultimately damage your workflow, team morale, and confidence that momentum is achievable.
Think of it like a flywheel: once it begins to turn, it generates its own energy. But if even one small part is jammed, everything comes to a halt.
Old Thinking:
We need to work harder, push more, and get people moving faster. If we apply enough pressure, I hope we can gain some momentum.
New Thinking:
The problem isn’t effort; it’s friction. If I can identify the hidden resistance, eliminate it, and establish a rhythm, momentum will follow.
Thoughts Lead to Actions
Momentum in business isn’t generated by effort alone; it comes from removing resistance.
And here’s the tricky part: friction is usually invisible. It lurks in outdated processes, unclear roles, overcomplicated systems, or unspoken misalignments. Because each business is unique, the point of friction is, too.
We’re taught to “grind” our way to results. So, when momentum stalls, our instinct is to push harder. However, that wears down people, systems, and trust.
The smarter move? Shift your mindset from force to flow.
Here are three steps elite leaders use to generate sustainable momentum:
- Locate the Friction Point
- Identify where progress consistently slows down or stalls.
- It could be people, process, or structure. Look for the recurring slowdown.
- Diagnose the Cause
- What is the root cause? Complexity? Lack of clarity? A communication gap?
- Don’t assume—dig. Interview your team. Look at timelines. Identify patterns.
- Solve the Problem. Remove Resistance
- Streamline workflows. Create standard processes. Eliminate legacy systems.
- Get rid of “we’ve always done it this way.”
Momentum doesn’t come from a one-time push; it’s built through repeatable action within a mutually agreed-upon process or system that the entire team follows. Establish weekly huddles, consistent sprints, or defined check-ins to tweak the system continually.
Here’s the reality. What I am prescribing requires a leader to pause, reflect, delve into the details, engage in difficult conversations, and think creatively among other time-consuming actions. It’s easier just to push the team to work harder and faster. Few will actually undertake the suggestions in this email.
Your system is your business. Your business is your product. Be one of the few who heeds the call to action to identify and eliminate friction. Your future self will celebrate when you feel the momentum surging.
Friction compounds when left unchecked. A stuck flywheel doesn’t require more people pushing; it needs one person wise enough to identify what’s causing the jam.
If not you, then who?
Boost Your Performance
What’s Your Opinion?
What part of your business is creating the most friction right now? Share it with me at robin.pou@robinpou.com.
If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!
Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist
We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders.
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What is “The Confident Leader”?
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.
