Marketers know this truth too well, you have about 2–3 seconds to make someone stop scrolling.
If your reel doesn’t grab attention instantly, you’ve lost them to the next shiny thing.
The irony? Leadership works the same way. In a world of infinite scroll, constant change, and shorter attention spans, we’re all fighting for focus, our teams’, our customers’, even our own. The job isn’t to move faster; it’s to create something worth stopping for.
Leading at speed today feels a bit like being the drummer in a jazz band where half the musicians are playing classical, two are in different time zones, and someone’s just suggested we pivot to AI mid-song. The tempo keeps shifting, but the band still expects you to keep the beat.
That’s what modern leadership really is, not about going faster, but about staying in rhythm when everything else is about improvising.
ABOUT THE AUTHORThe Rhythm of Leadership
Speed without synchronization is just noise
In my entrepreneurial days, we called chaos “agility.” We moved fast, but not always together. True speed only works when everyone moves to the same beat, not necessarily at the same pace, but in harmony. That’s when energy compounds instead of collides.
Calm is a competitive advantage
There’s nothing modern about burnout. Every inbox screams “urgent,” but urgency is rarely strategy. Teams don’t need a leader who panics faster; they need one who stays steady when everything’s on fire (metaphorically, though sometimes literally, if you’ve ever managed an event). Calm isn’t the absence of urgency; it’s the ability to hold clarity amid it.
Context beats control
In times of constant flux, new tools, new expectations, new definitions of “marketing”, control becomes impossible. Context is the new compass. Give people the why and where we’re headed; they’ll figure out how. I’ve learned that if you hire smart people, you owe them autonomy, not instructions.
Purpose is the brake and the accelerator
Speed for the sake of motion is meaningless. Purpose decides which races are worth running (and which reels are worth making). I’ve seen teams double their output the moment we defined what not to do. A team that knows its purpose doesn’t need constant motivation, it finds its own momentum.
Renewal is part of speed
I’ve learned the hard way that running at 110% isn’t sustainable, not for teams, not for creativity, and definitely not for caffeine budgets. The trick is to build rhythm: sprint, pause, breathe, recalibrate, repeat. Reflection isn’t the opposite of speed; it’s what makes speed repeatable.
Three Takeaways
- Leadership is a rhythm you set, not a race you win.
- Calm is quiet confidence, not stillness.
- Purpose is how you choose which speed matters.
Two actions for changemakers
Hold a reflection moment each week
Ask your team: Are we moving in sync, or just moving fast?
Audit your attention, not just your time
Focus 80% of your energy on the "first 3 seconds" - The priorities that truly make people stop, listen, and care
Back to The First Three Seconds of Leadership: If those first moments of clarity, clam, and purpose aren't there, no amount of editing will save the reel .
In a world obsessed with acceleration, leadership isn't about outpacing everyone, it's about creating a rhythm others can trust.
Because the best leaders don't just hold tempo; they make people want to stay for the music
