Timing - The Golden Pivot of Success

As every successful athlete knows, as every great salesman has experienced – there is a fine line between failure and success. The difference between a failure and a successful task balances uneasily on the golden pivot of timing! As in sports or in sales – when to lead is as important as how or where.

Timing carries with it the potential of four possible outcomes:

1.       The wrong action at the wrong time results in disaster.

2.       The right action at the wrong time results in resistance.

3.       The wrong action at the right time results in a costly mistake.

4.       The right action at the right time results in success.

Like everything else in Leadership, timing requires certain characteristics that support success on a regular basis, but offers no guarantees. Five Essential keys to good timing include the following:

1.       Preparation:

A good leader prepares the team to act, ensuring all resources and equipment is ready and waiting for the right moment to launch.

2.       Maturity:

Maturity is defined by the leader’s motives. An immature leader is impulsive and impatient. Be sure of your motive before attempting timing.

3.       Understanding:

A healthy and clear understanding of the situation, effort required and the consequences of action is required for any leader attempting to correct their timing issues.

4.       Confidence:

Capable and confident people look to capable and confident leader that can and are decisive when the moment arrives. Indecision is born out of poor confidence and will break the morale and enthusiasm of those that follow.

      5.       Experience:

There are few teachers better than experience. Although Einstein offers those who don’t have experience some hope with this quote: “A true genius learns not from his own mistakes, but from the mistakes of others.” If you don’t have experience spend time asking question of those that do.

Reading the right situation and knowing what to do is not enough to ensure success and move your team forward. Only taking the right step at the right time will guarantee positive results. If you want to move your team forward, you must invest time and effort in getting the timing right.