Review

I wish I had discovered this book sooner. Throughout my career, I've experienced moments where I felt like I was going mad—frustrated by a lack of urgency in organisations that couldn't afford such complacency. This book is as reassuring as reading Marty Cagan but goes further, offering practical advice on how to instil a sense of urgency into an organisation. A cathartic read.

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Key Takeaways

The 20% that gave me 80% of the value.

The world is changing at an accelerating pace, and organisations must cultivate a true sense of urgency to thrive. Complacency, marked by satisfaction with the status quo, and false urgency, characterised by frenetic activity without clear purpose, are barriers to seising opportunities and addressing critical challenges.

True urgency is a powerful force that propels focused action. It arises from a deep conviction that the most important goals are attainable with swift, intelligent effort. Leaders foster genuine urgency by confronting external realities, behaving with speed and determination, harnessing crises wisely, and neutralising those who block progress.

To spur true urgency, leaders first bring the outside in. This means exposing people to competitor advances, customer frustrations, or evolving industry trends so they can't dismiss real-world signals. Honest insights from frontline staff, raw customer feedback, or even a simple new data point can highlight the urgency to adapt. Hiding negative information only feeds complacency; surfacing it, handled maturely, prompts engagement and fresh thinking.

Next, leaders must act with urgency themselves. They skip pointless rituals, meet important requests right away, and show passion for results. This isn't about driving people to exhaustion or rushing mindlessly; it's about demonstrating that there's no time to waste on mediocrity. Words alone are hollow if everyday behaviours undermine the message. By modelling focus and responsiveness, leaders create an environment where procrastination, endless meetings, and dithering look out of place.

A third tactic is to seek opportunities within crises. While crises can devastate if mishandled, they can also shake up inertia and rally an organisation around a shared goal. Rather than delegating crises to "damage control" experts, wise leaders use these moments to confront core issues, remove bureaucratic barriers, and build a more responsive structure. Careful planning and honest communication avert blind panic, turning potential chaos into a catalyst for renewal.

NoNos—chronic naysayers who block progress—must be neutralised or removed. They differ from healthy sceptics, who can eventually be convinced by evidence. NoNos resist change at every turn, raising endless objections and sowing doubt. Co-opting or ignoring them seldom works; they'll drain momentum from the sidelines or sabotage discussions. Distraction, reassignment, or, if necessary, a fair and open exit strategy is far more effective. Once free of persistent negativity, organisations can channel resources into constructive initiatives and shared ambitions.

Success itself brings a unique hazard: after a breakthrough, urgency often plummets. People believe they've "arrived," ignoring that long-term victory usually demands multiple phases. Leaders should anticipate this post-win complacency by shining a spotlight on the next wave of risks and opportunities, sending employees out to witness customer feedback, or re-examining the competitive landscape. The message: real success is never static, so vigilance and adaptability must continue unabated.

To maintain momentum, leaders stay visible, keep dialogues brief but pointed, and push fresh signals that there's more to accomplish. This could mean rotating new market data onto bulletin boards, holding candid roundtables about recent stumbles, or establishing short deadlines for follow-up. When one technique wears thin, they find another. The key is not letting teams grow complacent once they see initial good results; a culture of steady improvement requires repeated reminders of how quickly circumstances can shift.

Over the long haul, urgency must become part of an organisation's DNA. The goal is a culture where people constantly ask: "What's changing around us?" "How can we deliver better, faster?" and "What obstacles should we remove next?" Embedded urgency doesn't mean panic; it means staying awake to new realities, being comfortable with adaptation, and refusing to settle for "good enough." Every system—hiring, rewards, promotions—reinforces an ethos that rapid, focused action is the norm.

Looking forward, accelerating global shifts, technological upheavals, and rising customer expectations will magnify the need for urgent adaptation. Whether facing a sudden crisis or a hidden opportunity, those who can galvanise their teams toward bold moves will shape the future. Real urgency is the antidote to drift and dithering. It channels passion into results, forging an agile environment where good ideas flourish before competitors or market forces render them obsolete.

Deep Summary

Longer form notes, typically condensed, reworded and de-duplicated.

Chapter 1: It All Starts With a Sense of Urgency

Complacency often goes unnoticed because it can mask itself as contentment with the status quo. It prevents meaningful innovation and stifles action on new opportunities, despite signals that significant change is needed. It isn’t just laziness or arrogance—sometimes even well-intentioned leaders are blind to the consequences of inaction.

False urgency is characterised by frenetic behaviour driven by anxiety or fear of failure rather than genuine determination. People in this mode spend energy on unproductive activities—constant meetings, busywork, and trivial tasks—that create an illusion of progress but rarely solve real problems. It can feel like action, yet it drains teams and contributes to burnout.

True urgency focuses relentlessly on crucial objectives. It channels attention to what must change now, dispelling distractions and superficial efforts. This outlook is powered by a deep belief that critical breakthroughs are within reach, provided the team acts with clarity and resolve. When people share that conviction, they abandon excuses and concentrate on results.

Many confuse frantic motion with urgency. That confusion can breed a toxic environment where tasks feel forced or artificially important, while genuine opportunities for transformation remain overlooked. Cultivating real urgency means cutting through the noise and ensuring everyone grasps why speed and seriousness are vital.

Organisations trapped in complacency often fail to see important external shifts. Others exhaust themselves in endless activity without making progress. Both states are destabilising: complacency saps momentum, false urgency drains morale. By contrast, genuine urgency harnesses energy in ways that move everyone forward productively and sustainably.

Leaders can build a true sense of urgency by driving honest conversations, removing barriers to progress, and igniting genuine commitment to pressing priorities. They must replace passivity with purpose, demoralising busywork with effective initiatives, and scattered efforts with a united focus. When urgency takes root, complacency becomes untenable and false urgency fades.

It all Starts with Urgency:

1. Ensure enough people feel a true sense of urgency around the most critical opportunities and hazards
2. Quickly identify key issues and form strong teams dedicated to resolving them
3. Develop strategies that address core problems and keep focus on relevant objectives
4. Communicate relentlessly, emphasizing urgency and clarity of purpose
5. Empower others to overcome barriers and remove obstacles that stall progress
6. Achieve short-term wins that provide visible success and reinforce confidence
7. Refuse to settle after early progress and maintain vigilance against slipping back into complacency
8. Lock in change by building it into systems, structures, and everyday culture

Holding onto a true sense of urgency requires disciplined leadership and ongoing reinforcement. When cynicism or distractions creep in, it’s vital to reconnect to the deeper purpose that fuels decisive action. Teams need frequent reminders of looming challenges and emerging possibilities to keep energy high.

Failing to establish real urgency can lead organisations to miss market changes and squander breakthrough ideas. Equally, adopting false urgency wastes resources and can demoralise even the most dedicated employees. Both jeopardise an organisation’s adaptability and competitiveness in a fast-evolving world.

Real urgency must be continually nurtured. It is a powerful force that propels innovation, collaborative problem-solving, and sustainable success. Leaders who foster this mindset at every level of the organisation position their teams to seize opportunities, tackle threats head-on, and transform adversity into remarkable results.

Chapter 2: Complacency and False Urgency

Complacency is driven by feelings of comfort and self-satisfaction, often without conscious awareness that external hazards or opportunities demand change. It can remain even after real success has vanished, fuelled by selective data that rationalises inaction and blaming others instead of oneself. People in this state are usually sincere but fail to see their own need for new behaviours.

False urgency, by contrast, stems from fear or anger. It can appear energetic—constant meetings, frantic presentations, quick blame-shifting—but the activity is often unfocused and fruitless. Instead of directing energy toward critical priorities, the anxious or resentful scramble protects turf or lashes out, wasting time without generating constructive results.

Genuine urgency feels very different from both complacency and false urgency. It channels determination toward meaningful progress on major threats and possibilities. A true sense of urgency is clear-headed and action-oriented, prioritising solutions rather than trivial tasks. It motivates people to cut through inertia and avoid the frenetic busyness that accomplishes little.

Complacent people rarely see themselves as complacent; false urgency can also be invisible to those trapped in it. Both states create major obstacles to effective change. Leaders must recognise the difference, because placid contentment or anxious busyness will derail transformative efforts. The goal is to replace both with a focus on real issues that need swift, deliberate action.

The red flags that often reveal too much complacency or false urgency:

1. Big concerns are deferred to consultants for months rather than tackled immediately.
2. Critical tasks are delegated to committees without sufficient involvement of key leaders.
3. Important meetings are postponed because of trivial scheduling conflicts.
4. Sessions drift into confusion over basic goals instead of decisive conversations about urgent challenges.
5. No firm decisions emerge from meetings—only plans to meet again.
6. Gossip and blame-games flourish instead of productive action.
7. Subcommittees are formed endlessly, whilst the main issue remains vague.
8. When performance falls, people respond with rushed activity, but not targeted solutions.

To spot complacency or false urgency early, ask questions such as:

• Are critical issues handed to consultants or minor task forces?
• Do people struggle to schedule meetings on essential initiatives?
• Do conversations stall because of office politics or bureaucracy?
• Do meetings end without immediate action items?
• Is the focus almost entirely internal rather than on markets or competitors?
• Are people preparing endless slideshow presentations without tackling root problems?
• Do they rush from meeting to meeting without real progress?
• Are selective facts used to dismiss significant hazards or opportunities?
• Is blame assigned to others instead of personal accountability?
• Do passive-aggressive behaviours stall key projects?
• Are past failures used as excuses to avoid new ideas?
• Do people say "act now" but then fail to move?
• Do cynical jokes undermine serious discussions?
• Are deadlines regularly missed on vital tasks?

A single individual’s leadership can spark a shift away from complacency or false urgency. Even lower-level employees who see warning signs can raise concerns with more receptive executives, challenging outdated assumptions and pointing to external risks. A candid conversation with someone open to truth can have a ripple effect throughout an organisation.

Those with real urgency drive straight to the heart of critical issues. They remove barriers, demand clear priorities, and delegate tasks to the right people at the right time. They also eliminate distractions that waste energy. Unlike the hurried, angry scrambling of false urgency, true urgency remains sharply focused on outcomes rather than activity.

When genuine urgency emerges, people feel compelled to adapt and solve problems quickly. They may cancel less important appointments, reorganise tasks, or push for immediate clarity. The progress that results can reinvigorate teams, protect jobs, satisfy customers, and strengthen competitive positions.

Ultimately, boosting real urgency does not always require a visionary CEO; it often begins with one person courageous enough to see the warning signs, speak up, and guide others toward decisive action. By spotting red flags, asking the hard questions, and confronting complacent or anxious behaviour head-on, anyone can play a role in transforming the culture toward meaningful change.

Chapter 3: Increasing True Urgency

Business cases can raise awareness of looming problems or opportunities, but they often fail to spark genuine urgency when they rely solely on logic and data. People may intellectually agree with the analysis whilst remaining unmotivated to act. Without an emotional impetus, a well-researched case can still produce half-hearted commitment and eventual breakdowns during execution.

Facts alone rarely shift deep-seated complacency or channel anxiety into constructive action. True urgency depends on changing feelings, not just thoughts. If people's emotions remain fixed—whether in comfort or fear—no volume of spreadsheets or presentations will drive meaningful behaviour.

Complacency is rooted in contentment with the status quo. False urgency emerges from anger or anxiety, generating frantic but unfocused motion. Both prevent progress. In contrast, real urgency aligns people's hearts and minds on an important goal, creating sustained energy to move forward.

Stories and personal experiences can bridge the gap between mind and heart. They engage senses and create a shared emotional connection that facts alone cannot. A presenter who is candid, relatable, and passionate often sparks more urgency than someone who offers complex slides in a darkened room.

Confronting complacency or chaos requires more than a rational plan. Messages must be carefully designed so that people see, hear, and even feel realities that demand quick action. The right delivery can show how a crisis is also an opportunity, whilst instilling confidence that positive change is achievable.

Effective leaders pay close attention to their own behaviour. If they exhibit calm detachment, employees sense that urgency is not really a priority. By visibly acting with determination—cutting low-value tasks and focusing on major goals—they model the mindset and pace the organisation needs.

Highlighting external threats or possibilities can jolt inwardly focused teams out of habitual routines. Whether presenting harsh customer feedback or confronting missed innovations by competitors, bringing real-world impacts into the spotlight forces people to question their assumptions.

Crises can be used carefully to dismantle complacency if leaders frame them as catalysts, not just threats. But stoking panic can breed false urgency and in-fighting. Managed well, a crisis prompts reflection, demands swift coordination, and motivates teams to tackle major challenges creatively.

Persistent blockers—people who kill urgency by dismissing every idea—must be either neutralised or convinced to change. When allowed to linger, these "NoNos" reassert old habits and drag the organisation back into fear or inertia. Removing them from critical discussions can preserve momentum.

Leaders who balance mind and heart can transform sleepy or frantic workplaces into cultures that move the needle every day. They choose tactics that combine credible information with powerful emotional engagement, ensuring people not only understand the need for change but feel compelled to make it happen.

Chapter 4: Tactic One - Bring the Outside In

Organisations that flourish for a while often turn inward, believing their own success proves they have all the right answers. This inward focus leads many to miss emerging threats or opportunities that, if recognised, would spark a healthy sense of urgency. When external changes remain unseen, complacency grows, leaving even robust firms vulnerable.

Bridging the gap between inside and outside reality energises people to face genuine challenges. When employees grasp how customers, competitors, and external trends are evolving, they're more likely to feel urgency around adapting products, services, or processes. A sharper appreciation of both risks and possibilities helps overcome the lulling effect of past success.

Frontline employees often hold valuable insight on what customers actually experience. Leaders who regularly ask questions and respectfully listen turn these employees into trusted scouts. Over time, fresh perspectives flow upwards in a way that impels problem-solving and re-energises teams at every level.

Simple videos can be powerful if they show outsiders discussing frustrations or desires honestly and directly. When these voices or images are played at staff meetings or in a break room, they can be far more compelling than raw data. Seeing a frustrated customer or a competitor's success story taps emotions, which can nudge an organisation out of complacency.

In some cases, leaders are tempted to hide difficult news, fearing blame or panic. Yet shielding people from troubling data can lock them in an outdated view of reality. Sharing potentially uncomfortable outside information across departments—while emphasising mutual problem-solving over blame—reminds everyone that the status quo may be risky.

Even the physical workspace can help convey the outside world. Redesigned lobbies or hallways that display customer feedback, competitor milestones, or real-time market stats keep employees focused on what truly matters: new needs, changing tastes, and rising competitors. Rotating the content preserves its impact.

Sometimes the most effective approach is sending teams out so they witness customer realities firsthand. A few days spent riding along with a sales rep, visiting retailer sites, or touring a best-practice competitor is far more vivid than reading a file. When these travellers return, their enthusiasm or worry can spark a wave of productive urgency among colleagues.

Bringing outsiders in also jars stale routines. Inviting customers, suppliers, or even industry analysts to key meetings forces managers to hear unfiltered feedback. Hiring new staff with fresh perspectives or creating alliances with consultants are other ways to crack open an insular culture, as long as leaders help translate those perspectives into organisation-wide learning.

Data-driven methods remain important if used wisely. One timely article or statistic that's dramatic and hard to ignore can light a fire under people who might dismiss a dry, hundred-page report. Systems that regularly gather customer satisfaction scores or competitive metrics focus everyone's attention on shifting realities, rather than routine tasks that reinforce old assumptions.

All these efforts hinge on delivering outside information in ways that arouse determination rather than panic. When done well, people see threats and opportunities as reasons to act boldly. Tactic One—bring the outside in—destabilises an inert status quo and invites a real sense of urgency, paving the way for the other steps that transform complacent organisations into responsive, forward-thinking teams.

Chapter 5: Tactic Two - Behave with Urgency Every Day

Many leaders say they want to accelerate progress but then schedule key conversations weeks away, sending the wrong signal. They claim the deadline is urgent, yet their own behaviour lacks immediacy. This contradiction erodes credibility and lets complacency or frantic busywork thrive.

True urgency shows up in how people act day by day. Leaders who respond quickly to requests, set near-term checkpoints, and highlight the need to adapt now are far more likely to motivate others. Their focus on immediate steps—rather than drawn-out, vague plans—fosters momentum and a can-do mindset.

Insisting on speedy follow-through doesn't require yelling or stressing everyone out. It hinges on conveying genuine enthusiasm for what's possible, all while refusing to tolerate needless delays or outdated routines. This approach often eliminates low-value tasks that once seemed important but no longer add significant benefits.

A diary overstuffed with standing meetings and habitual commitments keeps teams stuck. Constant context-switching at a sluggish pace saps energy. People with genuine urgency actively clear their schedules of nonessential items, creating time for purposeful interactions and swift decisions on pressing issues.

Actions must match words. If a leader says results are paramount but routinely allows key discussions to slip, employees assume they aren't that urgent. Visible consistency—starting meetings on time, personally following up on tasks, saying "Let's talk now" instead of deferring—builds trust and galvanises higher performance.

Modelling urgency in front of many people strengthens its impact. By routinely walking the floor, discussing real problems, and praising quick wins, leaders ensure that teams see unambiguous signals all day. Even small gestures—like skipping ceremonial coffee or politely postponing minor calls—reinforce that time matters.

When urgency is authentic, it tends to spread. One person's example can nudge direct reports to adopt similar habits, which in turn ripples out to colleagues. Over time, this everyday vigilance combats cynicism, focuses attention, and accelerates problem-solving across an organisation.

Leaders who behave with genuine urgency typically do the following:

• Purge or delegate low-priority tasks
• Move with speed on meaningful requests
• Speak about challenges and opportunities with passion
• Align words and deeds so there is no mismatch
• Let as many people as possible see their urgent actions

Real urgency also demands "urgent patience." It means pushing daily for progress without expecting massive outcomes overnight. Complex goals may require months or years to achieve, but that doesn't excuse dawdling. The balance is to tackle every day with a sense that the clock is ticking, while accepting that big results take time.

Ultimately, anyone can adopt these practices: clear unnecessary obstacles, show up decisively, and spark a continuous drive to improve. When leaders demonstrate this mindset, they weaken complacency, prevent meaningless scrambling, and fuel the disciplined energy that creates lasting success.

Chapter 6: Tactic Three - Find Opportunity in Crisis

There are two ways to see a crisis:

• Purely harmful events to be avoided
• Opportunities to jolt an organisation out of complacency

Crisis can provide the catalyst needed to spark genuine urgency and necessary change.

Formal control systems and damage control experts are designed to prevent or contain crises, but they sometimes encourage an inward focus, dampen entrepreneurial energy, and feed complacency. When the default mindset is to hide or minimise every crisis, an organisation can miss valuable chances to rally its people around real threats or opportunities.

In contrast, those who embrace the "burning platform" mindset believe a visible crisis can be the only sure way to awaken a complacent organisation. But that approach is risky if leaders expect the crisis alone to inspire constructive action. Without careful guidance, fear or anger simply produces frantic, uncoordinated activities instead of meaningful solutions.

When crises occur naturally, astute leaders look for a potential opportunity. They avoid mere damage control or wishful thinking. Instead, they prepare to redirect panic or blame toward a call for swift, bold, and carefully considered initiatives. If the crisis is severe but real, they highlight its root causes and present it as a platform to create a smarter, faster, more resilient organisation.

Sometimes leaders deliberately create or magnify a crisis to force urgent change. This can work if the crisis is genuine, cannot be solved by minor tweaks, and is orchestrated with honesty and credibility. A contrived crisis unlinked to actual business problems, or executed in a manipulative way, often backfires by triggering resentment and undermining trust.

Four common mistakes when using crises to foster urgency are:

• Assuming they automatically yield true urgency
• Going too far and sparking backlash
• Passively waiting for something bad to happen
• Ignoring the potential for genuine disaster.

Each error can leave the enterprise worse off than before.

Leaders who succeed with crisis-driven urgency carefully anticipate how people will react emotionally. They plan their messaging to convert fear and anger into focused determination. They acknowledge the crisis openly, stress that mere band-aid fixes won't suffice, and convey optimism about the organisation's ability to prevail.

Proactive communication during a crisis is most effective when it addresses the heart, not just the mind. Facts and logic matter, but passion, conviction, and sincerity carry greater weight in persuading people to rally instead of panic. When organisations see leadership behaving with authenticity and urgency, they are more likely to move as one.

Whether a crisis is thrust upon them or intentionally triggered, leaders should keep it connected to real business threats or opportunities and manage it in a way that prevents chaos. They can reinforce genuine urgency by pairing crisis messaging with daily behaviours that demonstrate speed, pragmatism, and commitment to solutions.

Ultimately, it takes wisdom and courage to harness a crisis without letting it spiral out of control. When used well, crises can transform a complacent culture into one that acts decisively and emerges stronger, more competitive, and more prepared for an uncertain future.

Chapter 7: Tactic Four - Deal with NoNos

Some people reflexively say "no" to every idea, undermining urgency and fuelling complacency or needless panic. These individuals are more than healthy sceptics; they're "NoNos," adept at poking holes in proposals and diverting others from pressing forward. They often claim they just need more data, but in reality, they resist change at all costs.

Unlike sceptics who eventually can be convinced by evidence, NoNos consistently prevent progress, using a barrage of objections, delays, and negative commentary. Even well-researched logic does little to shift their fixed stance. Their influence can stall urgent projects, diminish morale, and turn potential supporters into wary bystanders.

Trying to co-opt NoNos onto teams can feel like a reasonable step, but it rarely works because they refuse to budge. They'll clog up committees, demand endless studies, and criticise every bit of data. In the meantime, opportunities pass by. Efforts to work around them become drawn-out or fruitless.

Simply ignoring NoNos can be worse. Left outside the main conversation, they often lobby other employees with selective facts or fear-based arguments. They thrive on any existing anxieties, casting doubt and undercutting urgency where it might otherwise grow. This passive sabotage distracts everyone from the real work that needs doing.

Leaders sometimes hesitate to act against NoNos because those individuals may hold important roles or generate short-term results. But in a fast-moving environment, doing nothing hands NoNos ongoing power to undermine necessary change. Their negativity outlasts half-hearted attempts to persuade them, leaving organisations unprepared for the future.

A more effective strategy is to give NoNos legitimate tasks far from the core initiatives, redirecting their focus away from blocking urgent action. Another option is to move them out of the organisation, especially if they're in positions of real power. Sometimes, leaders use public exposure to neutralise lightweight NoNos, letting peers push back through social norms and humour.

NoNos might never recognise their own obstructive behaviour as harmful. Often driven by fear, frustration, or hidden agendas, they perceive their actions as logical or prudent. The only way to prevent their interference is to contain their influence with careful tactics rather than endless debates or appeasement.

Organisations that effectively handle NoNos often see renewed momentum toward important goals. Instead of letting cynics derail projects, they channel everyone's energy toward external opportunities and internal improvements. Urgency flourishes when people realise that negativity will be sidelined, not indulged.

Once the NoNos stop dominating conversations, teams can focus on real threats, real customer needs, and real deadlines. Constructive scepticism remains welcome—if it leads to better decisions rather than repeated blockages. When managed well, the group's sense of urgency rises, becoming a powerful force for growth and innovation.

Ultimately, success depends on leaders recognising the damage NoNos can cause and having the courage to address them. The best approach is grounded in practicality and fairness, ensuring those who habitually undermine urgency cannot stall vital change.

How to deal with NoNos:

• Identify them and don't underestimate their power to kill urgency
• Avoid co-optation or ignoring them; both methods usually fail
• Use one or more proven tactics: distract them with real projects away from the core, remove them from the organisation, or expose their behaviour so peers can neutralise it
• Then move forward with building an organisation that adapts swiftly and serves everyone's best interests

Chapter 8: Keeping Urgency Up

Success can be deceptive because it often lulls organisations into complacency. After a major breakthrough or clear victory, people ease back, assume problems are solved, and lose the drive that triggered the original success. In a rapidly changing environment, this drop in urgency can be costly when there is a next phase of growth or innovation that remains undone.

Wins are essential for boosting confidence and proving that new strategies work, but they can also undermine further progress. Once short-term results look good, most people feel they can safely relax. They ignore emerging dangers, forget that deeper changes still need to happen, or resent new initiatives that demand more effort.

Leaders who anticipate this dip will watch carefully for red flags: people skipping important meetings, a reluctance to tackle fresh goals, or outright confusion about why further sacrifices are needed. Often, those who contributed to the latest success believe they've earned a rest, so attempts to push them forward again can trigger scepticism or even anger.

Reinvigorating urgency requires a conscious effort. Tactics like bringing in fresh market data, highlighting the competition, and emphasising external risks can jolt teams out of complacency. When one approach grows stale—like inviting customers to annual meetings—an alternative method is needed, such as speaking directly to frontline employees or comparing performance to new industry benchmarks.

Leaders must continue modelling urgency themselves with consistent actions. They keep conversations short and to the point, respond rapidly to important issues, and avoid routine tasks that consume time without producing value. Their behaviour shows everyone that continued vigilance and speed matter, even when results look strong.

Sometimes a manufactured or managed crisis will refocus people's attention if it's based on genuine threats or opportunities. But creating these situations demands care. A misjudged crisis can backfire and sow fear or cynicism rather than real urgency. Leaders must carefully gauge the risk, ensure the issue is authentic, and communicate why bold responses are essential.

NoNos—those who habitually shoot down new ideas—can become more dangerous after a big win. They may argue there is no need for further change, or that the new demands are unreasonable. Leaders who spot these individuals must either redirect their energy, remove them from critical paths, or make their negativity visible so peers can neutralise it.

A dip in urgency after success can happen multiple times if there are many projects or phases involved. Each time, leaders must be ready to introduce fresh signals that the work is not finished. Subtle adjustments, like changing the agenda of a regular meeting or focusing on different KPIs, help people see new targets and stay motivated.

Long-term, the most powerful safeguard is to build urgency into the culture. Leaders embed continuous improvement and responsiveness into how the organisation promotes, rewards, and communicates. They treat complacency as an ever-present risk, clarify that past success does not guarantee future results, and reinforce the expectation that everyone remains open to change.

Keeping urgency high ultimately enables an organisation to keep growing and evolving. Celebrations of success are still vital, but they must be balanced with reminders of looming opportunities and threats. By systematically watching for complacency, showing personal urgency, bringing in new information, and removing barriers to action, a team can sustain momentum and achieve its most ambitious goals.

Chapter 9: The Future - Begin Today

Urgency will become increasingly relevant in the future as the world changes at an accelerating rate due intense competition, technology, globalisation, and the need for innovation. Those content with the status quo put themselves in a dangerous position, while those with a true sense of urgency are able to achieve more than seems reasonable.

Identify a few easy actions to take immediately. Linear thinking about what to do first, second, third often fails because step two may be very difficult. A better approach is to be opportunistic - try something quick and easy, get feedback, and either abandon or expand it.

Quick-and-easy actions usually don't require new projects, resources or major changes to existing plans and budgets. They involve using what you already have in new ways. For example, if culture is a problem, start raising questions about it in meetings immediately rather than just forming a culture change task force. Let people see your genuine, urgent concern.

Other examples of immediate actions: researching topics online before hiring a consultant, discussing a problematic employee over a scheduled lunch rather than waiting for their next performance review. Implementing easy actions allows you to start developing additional urgency skills that will be vital in the future.

A true sense of urgency will only become more essential as the pace of change accelerates. Words are not the test - action is. Frantic activity and polished presentations do not indicate real urgency. Signs of true urgency are alertness, movement and leadership from many people, not just a few.

Nationally and globally, major issues like climate change, terrorism, the rise of China and India, bioethics, education and entitlement reform demand a greater sense of urgency. Our current level of urgency in addressing these challenges is insufficient. We must do better for the sake of future generations.