Every leader aims for their team to advance toward a goal, but momentum doesn’t always come from working harder. Instead, it’s important to rethink what progress and momentum mean. There could be an obstacle in your path that isn’t immediately obvious.
Elsa, an accomplished HR executive, had just stepped into a new leadership role. She was tasked with implementing a critical talent review process across the company—an initiative that had the potential to elevate the organization’s approach to talent management. But despite the team’s best intentions, progress felt slow and frustrating. Meetings were productive, yet decisions didn’t seem to stick. Plans were made, yet execution lagged. Elsa was determined to make an impact as a leader, but she needed a clearer understanding of what was getting in the way.
In a coaching session, I asked Elsa this question:
“Where is your team slowing down?”
She paused. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “Everyone is working hard, but we keep running into the same roadblocks. It’s like we can’t quite get in sync.”
I introduced her to the Good Leadership Team Momentum Model, a framework designed to diagnose where teams excel, and where they struggle. The model highlights the essential elements that enable teams to thrive:
- Compelling Plan
- Clear Roles and Responsibilities
- Transparent Decision Making
- Disciplined Follow Through
- Blended Benefits
- Shared Commitments
- Trust
- Communication
Intrigued, Elsa decided to put the model to the test. She gathered input from her team using the Team Momentum Survey, a tool that assesses each of these elements to pinpoint strengths and opportunities for improvement. When she reviewed the results, two clear themes emerged:
- Disciplined Follow Through: The team wasn’t consistently reviewing progress against their plans or making necessary course corrections.
- Transparent Decision Making: Team members felt unsure about how decisions were made and whether they had a say in critical issues.
For the first time, Elsa could see the invisible barriers holding her team back. With this clarity, she had a roadmap for what to do next. She wasn’t just guessing at solutions, she was addressing the root causes.
As she prepared to take action, Elsa realized something profound: before a team can gain momentum, leaders must first bring clarity to what’s slowing them down.
