Leaders Look For These Types Of Moments

Timing is everything when it comes to leveraging your influence. Leaders look for these types of opportunities.

• The proper action done at the improper time causes reluctance.
• The improper action done at the proper time causes resistance.
• The proper action done at the proper time causes resonance.

When you do is as important as what you do. There is a rhythm to success. And if you want to be successful you have to learn how to play in time. Playing too fast or too slow can cause the whole scoreboard to change. If you want to maximize your ability to score you have to be aware of your timing.

My wife and I went to the beautiful island of Maui on our honeymoon. One of the highlights of our trip was driving “The Road To Hana,” which is a famous route that goes completely around the island. It took us about 3 hours to make it in our rented Ford Escort. About half way through the journey we pulled over on top of a cliff to watch the wind-surfers out on the ocean. It was incredible to see these people do what they did. They were doing all kinds of tricks and moves on the waves. But then there were moments of calm in the water when the waves died down. The surfers were just waiting for the next big wave as they floated in the water. As I watched, I noticed how much surfing is based on the momentum. Even the best surfers in the world are limited when the waters are smooth as glass. These surfers certainly had the skills and potential to perform incredible tricks, but they were restricted when no waves were coming in. But as soon as the waves started to come in they got back up and started at it again.

Influencers are like surfers, they are momentum seekers. They look for ways to catch opportunities that will create momentum so they can put points on the board. A professional surfer will calmly wait for the perfect waves to come along before they decide which one to catch. They know how to read the wave in order to know if they will be able to make the most out of it. Many times a surfer will pass on a good wave in order to wait for a great wave. When they see their wave of opportunity, they quickly paddle out and seize the moment. It is in that moment that they will find the momentum to carry on.

Momentum is your ally. When you momentum on your side everything you do seems to work. Momentum makes someone look better than they are. It is easier to move forward when momentum is helping to take you there. Momentum puts wind in your sails. It helps you go further and faster. It takes your team and your organization to greater places. When one has momentum on their side it feels as though nothing can stop them. People dream bigger and are willing to risk more. However, where there is a lack of momentum, even the best ideas seem hard to catch traction. Lack of momentum is a person’s worst enemy. It makes someone look worse than they really are. It is very difficult to move forward when there is no momentum.

Be patient and look for the right moments to make a move.

Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to know if you should move fast…

1) Does it add value?

2) Will this affect change?

3) Do I have enough influence yet to approach this?

4) Is this the right time?

5) Do I know enough yet to communicate it clearly?

6) Am I the right person to address this?

7) Do I have a compelling reason WHY I should do this?

8) Will another opportunity come to do this again?

9) Can I follow through on this?

10) If I don’t do this will it make a difference?