KQ Article

For years, I watched my sister battle with her daughter, Sarah, a strong-willed child who attacked every task with the speed and intensity of a bullet train. Once she started on something — like rappelling down the house using a rope tied to her bed — her momentum was incredible. She didn’t eat, sleep or do anything else until she was done, despite my sister’s pleading. I got exhausted just watching.

Sarah eventually grew out of her “bullet train” phase and learned how to channel her energy in a positive way. What occurred to me recently is how much the younger Sarah reminds me of the banks and credit unions we consult with every day: powerful momentum, singular focus, endless enthusiasm — but questionable results.

Momentum is one of the most powerful forces in business. It compels people to resist change and stop asking questions. When we ask banks why they hold fast to failing processes, they often say, “Because we’ve always done it this way.” Sound familiar? That’s momentum.

As powerful as it is, momentum is often misunderstood. We expend energy fighting it instead of making it work for us.

Positive or negative?
Every financial institution acquires momentum over time. As your business adds staff, expands its reach and acquires more customers, energy picks up. Culture spreads. Traditions emerge. If you’re growing, you’re gaining momentum. You don’t have a choice.

In some cases, momentum may be perfectly aligned with the mission. This kind of momentum is your ally. In other instances, momentum conflicts with the mission, vision or strategy. This momentum is just as powerful, but it’s working against you.

If your momentum is working in your favor, that’s outstanding. Keep it going! But what if you don’t like where your momentum is taking you?

Get off the tracks
First, make sure your dissatisfaction is with the direction and not another factor — like the pace of work, or the people you work with, or the customers you serve. Look at results. If the numbers look good and employees are happy, go with the flow.

If momentum is pushing you in the wrong direction, however, you need a different approach. The most common approach, unfortunately, is to fight momentum head-on: rein in growth, overturn long-held policies, shuffle roles and responsibilities.

These efforts rarely succeed. You can’t stop momentum any more than you can stop a bullet train by standing on the tracks. The train left the station, so to speak, years ago when your culture, values and operating processes were established. By now, the train is moving fast and it’s wise to stay out of the way.

What you can do instead is channel the momentum in a different direction. Think of it as “pulling the switch” on the bullet train and rerouting it to a different set of tracks.

To do this, you have to address the fundamentals I just mentioned — culture, values, operating systems, business processes. Make no mistake: this is hard work. You have to engage key stakeholders, build consensus and roll out changes incrementally. The train is moving really fast, so you can’t expect it to take a hard right turn without derailing.

Eventually you will see results. When you do, you’ll be thankful that your momentum is still strong, and that it is quickly taking you to a more desirable destination.

_{© 2010 Martie Woods}