It’s obvious that business is moving faster and faster and
that to keep up, leaders at all levels need to know how to pick up the pace.
That’s easy to say. But is it so? Is there a correlation
between speed and perceived leadership effectiveness?
In a word, “yes.”
What makes a leader both
fast and good?
- People who work
with them trust their ability to use good judgment and make effective
decisions. Without
trust, colleagues resist moving fast (or at all). And there’s no mystery
in how that trust is built: Experienced leaders earn trust through a track
record of success built through strong positive relationships and
demonstrated expertise. If you are new to a role and your colleagues don’t
know you well enough to trust your judgment, you need to build that trust
by explaining the analysis you did to make your decision. It’s also wise
to share your decision with a person who is trusted by the rest and enlist
his or her support.
- They make their
vision and strategy absolutely clear to their colleagues. When people can see
the context for action, they can more quickly understand and carry out
their part in an enterprise. It’s not hard to move fast when
everyone is clear about where you’re going and, equally important, where
you’re not going. Conversely, when people can’t see the
way ahead, simply put, they don’t rush ahead. That’s why the comfortable
speed with which an organization can move is defined by the clarity of the
vision.
- They demonstrate
personal courage. Acting
with speed often feels risky. The person looking to avoid added personal
exposure will be inclined to move slowly. In general, people are more
comfortable working at a steady pace. It takes a great deal of courage to
move faster and ask others to move fast with you.
- They assemble
world-class expertise and knowledge. When leaders lack expertise they
have to stop and do their homework. Lacking knowledge leaves you in
uncharted waters where your inclination is to be slow and careful. Conversely,
having or accessing world-class expertise allows you to work faster and
make better decisions. In our experience, we’ve noticed, though, that
personal pride sometimes hinders people from seeking the expertise that
will speed up a process, and in a misguided application of self-reliance,
they chose to solve the problem themselves.
- They set stretch
goals. Easy
goals allow people time to reach them in a leisurely way. Stretch
goals reinforce the need for speed. They encourage people to get on with
their work rather than ponder.
It’s interesting how
often our pace affects our attitude. Let’s face it — slow is often
boring. Think about people you have worked with who keep things going at a fast
clip versus those who move ponderously as they ensure that everything is
completed. Certainly, speed is no substitute for judgment. And, yes, too
much speed can leave people feeling rushed and frazzled. But if your company’s
energy is lagging, maybe it’s time to consider upping the pace.