Working Fast Means Knowing When to Slow Down

Admin Account
Aug 8, 2025
3 min read

The Surprising Key to Speed

Imagine this question being posed to a group of people:

"What is the part of your car that allows you to drive fast?"

Common answers might be the engine, tyres, or aerodynamics. But the real answer, surprisingly, is the brakes. Without reliable brakes, no driver would dare accelerate beyond a cautious crawl. This powerful analogy holds true in management as well: genuine speed and agility aren't merely products of raw power—they rely heavily on the ability to pause, reassess, pivot, and focus clearly on what truly matters.

Brakes in Management: Effective Pauses vs. Unproductive Stops

In the management context, the team's "brakes" aren't about slowing momentum but rather creating strategic opportunities to maintain control and precision in execution. This includes practices such as:

Regular stand-ups: Quick daily meetings that serve as intentional moments to ensure alignment, identify potential roadblocks, and swiftly adapt if needed.
Focused check-ins: Short, frequent planning meetings that are sharp and structured, not lengthy and aimless.
Structured retrospectives: Dedicated times to reflect on performance and adjust strategies, reinforcing continuous improvement.

“Speed is irrelevant if you are going in the wrong direction.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

Stand-ups and Check-ins: Pumping the Brakes Strategically

Regular stand-ups and check-ins are critical tools for teams to pause strategically. However, there's a vital distinction between productive pauses and unproductive, long-winded meetings:

Effective stand-ups should be concise, directly addressing:
- What was achieved since the last meeting.
- Immediate plans and priorities.
- Potential obstacles requiring attention or intervention.
Ineffective meetings, by contrast, are characterised by:
- Lack of clear agenda or outcome.
- Excessive length without actionable outcomes.
- Frequent deviations from core objectives.

When executed correctly, check-ins and stand-ups are like gently pumping the brakes—keeping your team precisely on track without bringing momentum to a complete halt.

Balancing Momentum and Braking: The Art of Control

In previous discussions, we've emphasised the power of momentum—that often, simply maintaining forward progress can build energy, enthusiasm, and positive outcomes. Momentum is indeed critical, as it prevents inertia, boosts team morale, and often reveals unforeseen opportunities.

But momentum without control can quickly become chaos. It's not about choosing momentum or braking—it's about integrating both effectively:

Momentum keeps your team energised, engaged, and progressing.
Strategic braking ensures your direction remains correct, preventing wasted efforts.

Think of it like driving down a winding road: momentum carries you forward, while periodic, controlled braking keeps you safely and accurately on track.

Successful teams learn to blend these two forces. They use momentum to maintain forward movement and motivation, while frequently checking alignment and direction with regular, disciplined brakes.

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

— John Wooden

Building Better Brakes in Your Team

To harness the power of controlled pauses in your management practices, consider the following:

Set clear objectives for every meeting or check-in, ensuring each pause has a defined purpose.
Encourage brevity and clarity, limiting discussions to relevant, actionable topics.
Foster psychological safety, empowering your team members to speak up honestly about challenges or required changes.

The Takeaway

Real speed in team management isn't about perpetual acceleration; it's about knowing when and how to slow down, recalibrate, and pivot efficiently. Strengthening your team's "brakes" through sharp, intentional check-ins and stand-ups means you can confidently accelerate when needed—maintaining both agility and control to deliver better results, faster.