Establish a sense of momentum in your team or organization and watch how it brings people together. Progress is compelling because people want to be on the winning side. Dedication starts to increase when things start clicking.

People start to disengage when their organization stalls or loses ground, but they deeply commit themselves when the organization is on a roll.

Momentum means taking action. Pick up performance. Make progress on clear goals.

Bag the deer, don’t chase the squirrels. Match hard challenges with tangible performance gains. Engage in activities that provide concrete proof of the group’s effectiveness. Avoid distractions by trying to address morale, lower stress, or improve loyalty and job satisfaction directly. Remember that they are byproducts of a well-run system. They don’t do much at all to build momentum. It works quite the opposite—momentum heals most attitudinal problems.

You must mobilize people—outlaw apathy, inertia, disinterest, and inactivity. Change begins within, today. Find ways to create meaningful urgency that will help your team or organization move at a faster clip. Push for daily progress where it makes the most sense. Post results and keep them up to date. Celebrate accomplishments, then “raise the bar.”

Rinse and repeat. Discipline is what maintains momentum. Momentum toward tangible results is what tightens the bond between employees and the organization.

Organizations instinctively slow down in response to change. People can grow more committed to protecting themselves, and less committed to protecting productivity and cost management.
Pretty soon results start to suffer. Then the problem begins to feed on itself.
Your job is to reverse the trend.
Speed things up. Focus people on achieving hard results.
Momentum gives job commitment a second chance.

To perform well while under pressure, we need to develop habits to work more effectively. Making the right decisions, engaging with others effectively, learning to manage our own emotions takes practice.

Driving Dedication During Change: A pocket guide for becoming an effective linchpin enables you with all the tools and tactics you need to make your interactions less stressful and more effective.