Project management header
products page

Leadership - Timing

Timing

Action and timing

Leadership is all about judging the correct action to the correct timing.
There are only 4 possible outcomes.
Your vision and actions need to be considered in this light.

Correct action at the correct time

Get this right and you will move forward smoothly.

The correct action and timing is especially critical in the success or failure of war.

Correct action at the wrong time

Hopefully, if you have done your homework and assessed the requirements to get to your vision you are part way there.
The trouble is you will need to be very confident of the timing to have the best chance of success.

Timing is the key focus when putting your vision to key individuals that have influence.
Once these are on board and have convinced others the time will be ripe to present your vision to a wider audience.

Wrong action at the correct time

In a way this is a serious crime.
If you have the luxury of good timing it is a shame to waste it with the wrong action.

This is likely to happen through being too eager to fill the good timing slot.
As a result your actions may be ill conceived.
If this is the case you may find yourself causing resentment, lowering morale and actually de-motivating people.
The good ‘timing’ will have been lost.

If you have already gained momentum in other areas now may be the time to introduce other actions.
With suitable momentum less attractive options can become easier to manage.

Wrong action at the wrong time

This is the ultimate in bad management. If the timing is wrong it will mean that individuals will resist change.
If you are promoting benefits that don’t materialise then morale will drop sharply making the situation difficult to turn around.
What may have had little hope of success will drop to absolute zero if the timing is wrong.

If you don’t act at the right time it can prove fatal.