Grow through speed

Hunt For Greatness

Milton  Kamwendo

SET the vision clear. Move fast with purpose and growth happens. There is no benefit from a chameleon pace. Speed gives competitive advantage and sharpens the mind.

John H. Zenger and Joseph R. Folkman conducted a comprehensive research on speed and leadership effectiveness.

In their Harvard Business Review article, “The Case for Speed”, they demonstrate that leaders who are fast and decisive outperform those who are slow, even if the slower ones are more accurate.

Speed is a growth catalyst. It is a force that unlocks potential. It ignites performance. Speed differentiates the great from the average.

Speedy leadership

Zenger and Folkman’s research discovered that speed and leadership effectiveness go hand in hand.

Fast leaders are not impulsive. They are decisive. They are agile and action-oriented. They process information quickly. They communicate clearly. They mobilise teams towards outcomes without unnecessary delay. Their speed inspires confidence. Through speed, they build unstoppable momentum.

To grow through speed, develop the muscle of swift execution. Shun slow motion dances. Eliminate slow decisions. Ditch long approval chains. Be intentional and decisive.

Hesitation is an enemy of innovation and transformation. The future belongs to the fast and focused.

Grow speed

Being slow is costly. You miss opportunities. You lose talent. You risk becoming irrelevant. When you move fast, you are better positioned to learn, adapt and scale.

Speed is an enabler and catalyst. It enables faster learning cycles. When you act quickly, you learn quickly. Mistakes are corrected earlier. Improvements come sooner.

Speed leads to increased relevance. Speed keeps you current. It keeps you aligned with the needs of the moment. Nothing wastes more time than solving problems that have expired.

Speed increases confidence and clarity. Fast action gives you feedback that builds clarity and confidence for the next step.

Momentum is built through movement. Speed creates momentum. Nothing grows without movement. Movement creates momentum. Momentum creates growth miracles.

Bible and speed

In 1 Samuel 21:8, David tells the priest: “The king’s business requires haste.”

Divine assignments require urgency, responsiveness and action.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 exhorts: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

This is not a call from the good book towards lethargy and hesitation. It is a call to energetic, fast and timely execution. In Exodus 12, the Israelites were instructed to eat the Passover meal in haste. This was because deliverance required speed. When God moves, He demands our obedience in faith and speedy response. God loves speed.

Speed and growth

Speed is not the opposite of quality. Speed is the accelerator of mastery. When you combine speed with focus, you unleash progress. When you marry speed with learning, you birth growth. When you combine speed with discipline, you get execution. When you meld speed with intentionality, you grow exponentially.

Speed expands your experience. The faster you execute, the more you experience. Experience creates expertise. Speed reveals your strengths and weaknesses faster. It gives you feedback loops for faster improvement.

Speed multiplies opportunity. What others plan to do “someday”, you are already doing it today. While others are thinking, you are acting. While others are calculating, you are cashing out. Speed builds trust. When people know you act quickly and reliably, you become a go-to leader.

Practical speed

To increase speed, consider the following:

1. Decide faster

Indecision is a growth killer. Zenger and Folkman note that high-performing leaders are not reckless, but they do not linger too long on decisions. Develop a decision-making rhythm based on sufficient data and trusted intuition.

Marie Forleo said: “Clarity comes from engagement, not thought.”

Decide to act. Adjust as needed. The faster you start, the quicker you gain clarity.

2. Feedback loop

Shorten the feedback loop. Speed is sustained by feedback. Act, measure, learn and adjust, then repeat. Waiting for perfection slows growth. Implement quickly. Measure impact and improve.

3. Dragging feet

Slow leaders and slow teams are burdened by drag — unnecessary meetings, too many approvals, too many committees, unclear priorities and fear of failure. Simplify processes for speed. Clarify priorities and execute. Empower people and let them deliver at speed. When everyone knows what matters and is empowered to act, speed happens. Stop using drag to amplify your ego.

4. Speed culture

Make speed your cultural ethos. When speed becomes your cultural code, everything changes. Let your normal be speed. Make it a norm to respond quickly, execute promptly and iterate fast. Celebrate fast learners. Recognise fast doers. Affirm fast improvers.

5. Speed with purpose

Speed without direction is chaos. Be fast with a clear trajectory. Be fast in the right direction. Purpose gives speed meaning. Align your speed with your mission, values and strategy.

6. Strategic pause

Growing through speed is not about being in a constant rush. Strategic pausing is part of speed. Zenger and Folkman emphasise that reflective moments that are taken intentionally accelerate insight. Like a race car in a pit stop, pause to refuel, recalibrate and return to the lane stronger. Slow down to plan. Slow down to rest. Slow down to pray. Never slow down because of fear, indecision or procrastination.

Greatness does not come to those who wait passively. Growth requires movement. It requires swift, intentional and purposeful movement. Speed sharpens your edge. It multiplies your impact. Be quick, but do not hurry. This is the spirit of growth through speed — fast, but focused. Quick, but purposeful. Decisive, but wise. Adopt the speed code. Do not delay your destiny. Move boldly. Act swiftly. Execute with urgency. The time for greatness is now. Grow through speed.

Committed to your greatness!

Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and accomplished workshop facilitator. He can be reached at: [email protected], WhatsApp: +263772422634.