Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.
—Thomas Edison

It is hard to imagine a person more physically powerful than Cortez Kennedy, an eight-time Pro-Bowl defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks. But guess what happened when Kennedy became known for his power. He was double- and triple-teamed. If you are not familiar with football terminology, it means the other team put two and three guys on top of him. He did not just have to overpower one 300-pound offensive lineman; he had to overpower 900 pounds of offensive linemen. The more powerful he became, the more resistance he faced and the more tension was created. All his power was essentially useless. How did he respond? He responded with speed and adaptability. Before the offensive linemen realized what was happening, their quarterback was on his back.

As change leaders, we can learn from the Cortez Kennedy playbook. Speed and adaptability can be extremely effective ways to reduce tension. There was no tension between Kennedy and the offensive linemen because the linemen were blocking his shadow. The best use of Kennedy’s power was when he did not have to use it.

There is one key difference between change leadership and this football analogy, though. In football, Kennedy knew exactly when to turn on the speed—the split second the ball was snapped. In change leadership, there is no simple, universal signal that tells us when it is the right moment to act with lightning speed.

Part of the art of change leadership is knowing when to conserve resources and credibility and when the opportune moment comes to act swiftly and implement change. When you do see a real, bona fide opportunity—when the time is clearly right—don’t hesitate; act with lightning speed. Then, you will be like Kennedy standing over the quarterback celebrating a sack. Except, you will be cashing your commission check.

Be mindful, though, that speed can also require more power and may even increase tension. Remember how power is force times speed? The faster the force is exerted, the more power it involves. If the “natural” pace of a change implementation is over six months and you try to make it happen in three months, you will certainly have to work twice as hard, if not harder.

The key is to adapt to the “natural” course of events in each situation. By “natural” I mean the sequence and timing of events that consume the least amount of resources; similar to how Sun Tzu says water finds a “natural course” of least resistance.

Adapt quickly and act quickly. Look for the “natural course.” Avoid tension with swift action, but be careful not to cause tension in the process.