Changing strategy at the last minute

“Surprising people” is driving through a red light.
“Improvising” is slamming on the brakes when the light is green.

Two actions equally unpredictable, yet opposite in their wisdom.

It is a joke, of course.

But, as often happens, humour captures the world of work and leadership with surgical precision.

In traffic, as in teams, surprising others is not a plan, it is a gamble.
Improvising is not creativity, it is panic disguised as spontaneity.

The same happens in many organisations.

The boss decides to surprise everyone by changing the strategy at the last minute: driving through the red.
The effect is always the same: horns blaring, chaos, and someone wondering whether a simple right turn would not have been better.

Others, instead, wait for the perfect moment and then freeze when the light turns green.
They brake out of indecision.
They wait for more information, more confirmation, another spreadsheet.
It is operational paralysis: the world moves on and you are still there, foot on the brake.

Leadership lives between these two extremes.
And its quality depends on one ability alone: timing.

In practice

• Surprising people is useless if it frightens them.
• Improvising does not work if it slows everything down.
• The leader must not run the red light; the leader must set the signals along the route.
• The team must not brake at green; it must be ready to move.

Timing is not luck.
It is preparation, listening, clarity of objectives.
It is the discipline that allows leaders to act swiftly without becoming reckless, and calmly without becoming immobile.

Because, in the traffic of modern complexity, real competence is not surprising or improvising.
It is guiding a human, technological and cultural convoy without causing unnecessary collisions.

And, every now and then, reminding everyone that the traffic light is not a matter of opinion.