Vol. LXV

Dear Manager,

Have you ever considered the role advantageous timing plays for us as managers, let alone our entire business structure? Similarly, poor timing plays an equal role for many as we avoid the landmines on the path to success. Both of these factors play a significant role for each of us. But how do you truly know when timing is on your side? The single factor that brings a bounce to the step of all managers is momentum.

When we have it, life is good, and obstacles are perceived as mere bumps in the road. There is no greater confidence than when you have momentum on your side!

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE WITH A WINNER!

This sentence suggests just how important momentum is. When “Big Mo” is on your side, at least for a time, you become a good fortune magnet. Some managers don’t take Mo very seriously, or have come to the conclusion that only fate will bring good fortune. Yes, even poor managers find positive momentum on occasion. Better managers create their own fate!

Great managers are in a constant state of striving to either maintain or recapture this often-elusive phenomenon. While we can always set the stage for it, we can rarely fully insure it. All the planning and preparation in the world cannot guarantee you momentum. Sometimes the planets must be properly aligned in your favor as well! This is not to suggest, however, that we should cast our fate to the wind, or enroll in a class on celestial configuration.

Now that we have better defined its attributes, how do we create this wave (I know, only the moon can affect the tides!), and ride it as long as possible? First of all, we must accept that we can only control the mental aspects of momentum. The mental performance of any company most effectively starts at the top.

WHEN YOU’RE HOT…

O.K., congratulations, Big Mo has tagged you and you’re it. Are you enthusiastically translating this heightened positive company image to your clients and staff? Momentum and confidence are very contagious. Now is the time to strike up the band, opportunistically taking full advantage of “the good times.” Build the biggest bandwagon you can find; you will be amazed at how fast everyone jumps on board!

When Mo is in your pocket, the question should be, just how great is our potential, how deep is the well, and how long is the rainbow? It is common for individuals to underestimate their full advantage in these “Mo”-mentous times. Remind yourself that there is no form of measurement for maximum potential; it is now time to pull out all the stops!

We must also remember that Mo can be fickle by nature. We should learn to not only understand it but to learn to court its many virtues. As suggested, this is your time to shine. With so many admiring your bandwagon, it’s time to recruit only the best to hop on board. Are there clients with major potential who would benefit from your team’s visible momentum? Are there individuals with significant skills whom you can entice to join you? Are there competitors that are particularly vulnerable at this time? Have you restructured your goals and objectives to reflect your enhanced and evolving potential? Often, our original objectives were developed and established in less momentous times.

The time to seize the prize is fleeting. This sense of urgency should only be equaled to that in the down side of your cycle! Yes, as with all aspects of life, your momentum will cycle from its frenzied highs. Take heart, I have seen cycles sustain their momentum for years, if not decades. Strong managers wake each day in a state of paranoia! At all costs, prolong it!

This can be accomplished with a complete analysis and understanding of what brought Mo to your doorstep. Was it a decision you implemented as a manager that worked in your favor? Is there an individual or group that inspired this trend? Are there competitors or market conditions that left the door open to you? Once you have defined its qualities, zero in on sustaining it!

AND WHEN YOU’RE NOT…

Oh yes, momentum can be very fleeting. Out of the blue, in the wink of an eye, high tide becomes low tide, just ask Alaska Airlines. For twenty-five years, they enjoyed a reputation as one of the most highly regarded airlines in the industry with a safety and satisfaction record admired and acknowledged by all. A number of years ago with the tragedy of Flight 261 from Puerto Vallarta, and in the months to follow, all of this changed. I was on an Alaska flight to Puerto Vallarta a week after Flight 261 was lost. The silence and personal reflection on this flight was deafening. No one wanted any part of this bandwagon!

In the weeks to follow, report after report of potential problems surfaced regarding possible mismanagement at the airlines. How much heart breaking news and publicity can one company sustain? Perhaps it is warranted, over a period of months and years they once again generally well thought of.

The point is in the fact that when things are on the skids, when momentum is against you, you are the most vulnerable. In fact, Big Mo has jumped ship leaving the pieces to Bad Mo. Yes, momentum can reverse its thrust and work against you! This is when you earn your stripes as a manager.

As a team you must first accept your current set of circumstances. Denial will only delay positive steps that need to be immediately implemented. Understand that the human factor for your clients and staff creates its own set of obstacles. Effectively, do your very best to reduce the emotional trauma of your current circumstances.

Communication and a measured response is the foundation for slowing the back-slide. Alaska, in fact, was noted for their timely, sincere and proactive form of communication. You can only earn a sense of benefit of the doubt! Their biggest problem was the weeks and weeks with little good news. As managers, we must shine the most positive light on any set of circumstances. If we don’t voice a positive and confident perspective, who will? This does not suggest we gloss over or be less than forthright with the reality at hand. Be empathetic to those who have also assumed their own losses in this process.

Proactively address all concerns or rumors that may present themselves. Understand that bad news travels fast, and there are those who will delight in your misfortunes. This is not a time for the weak of heart, or to be thin skinned.

Keep in mind that time heals most wounds. In fact, the grace of time and the natural cycles in life are on your side and may be your greatest ally.

Create a focus, define your target, and stay on it. When Big Mo was on your side, decisions may have seemed very simple; now they are all tough. Now everyone has an opinion and can second-guess all prior decisions. Listen to the same voice that confidently directed your decision making process in more successful times!

Big and Bad Mo will touch all of us in the span of our career. Our challenge is in protecting the good times, and minimizing their alternative.

Remember, as managers we are never quite as good as we are perceived on our best days, and we are never quite as bad as we are perceived on our worst days.

Personal Regards,

Keenan

INTERPERSONAL© is published by INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM, Keenan Longcor, Editor, ©2010. Duplication of this publication is permitted for both personal and business use. Excerpts may only be quoted with acknowledgment of INTERPERSONAL/INTERPERSONALBIZ.ORG as the source. For re-publication rights, please contact the editor at KEENAN@INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM