Lead With Urgency: Instill Ownership and Momentum in Your Team

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my decades of leadership, it’s this: without a sense of urgency, nothing moves. People stall, progress slows, and leaders fall into the trap of maintenance rather than momentum. Urgency is what pushes us forward. It’s the fuel that turns vision into action.

But here’s the truth—urgency isn’t just a switch you flip. It has to be cultivated in you first, then intentionally passed on to your people. You have to lead with urgency, think with urgency, and act with urgency before you can expect your team to do the same.

When urgency is present in your leadership, it does more than just get things done. It inspires action, creates clarity, and most importantly—it empowers your people.

Why Urgency Matters

When you create a sense of urgency in your people:

• They develop ownership over what they’re doing. They stop waiting on direction and start taking initiative.

• They get on the same page as you. There's alignment between your vision and their actions.

• They build an internal drive to perform. They're motivated from within, not just by instruction.

• They understand the why behind the work. That clarity helps them give their absolute best, not because they’re told to—but because they want to.

How to Create a Culture of Urgency

Here are some ways you can begin creating and fostering urgency in your leadership:

• Lead by example.
  If you want your people to act with urgency, you’ve got to model it. Show up prepared. Move with intention. Speak with clarity. Your energy becomes contagious.

• Be clear about the mission.
  Urgency thrives in clarity. When people know what’s at stake and where they’re headed, they move with more purpose. Set clear goals and define what success looks like.

• Give people ownership.
  Stop micromanaging. Give your people the space to make decisions, take risks, and lead in their own right. Ownership breeds action.

• Connect daily tasks to the bigger picture.
  When people understand how their work matters to the overall mission, they move with more meaning. Paint that picture for them—over and over again.

• Communicate with impact.
  Urgency doesn't mean being frantic—it means being intentional. Your words, tone, and timing matter. When you speak, speak with purpose.

• Coach in real time.
  Don’t wait for formal evaluations. Urgency means addressing things as they happen—encouraging, correcting, and celebrating along the way.

• Celebrate proactive behavior.
  Recognize the people who step up without being asked. That reinforces urgency as part of your culture.

• Create momentum through small wins.
  Momentum builds confidence. Break big goals into achievable steps and celebrate progress. That fuels continued forward motion.

Bringing Urgency Into Your Own Life

This isn’t just about leading others—it’s also about how you show up each day. Here’s how to embed urgency into your own personal growth:

• Start each day with intention. Ask yourself: What needs to happen today? What am I avoiding that matters most?

• Set time limits for decisions. Don’t let fear paralyze you—urgency means making timely, thoughtful choices.

• Prioritize action over perfection. You can’t grow if you don’t move. Progress beats perfection every time.

• Hold yourself accountable. No one else is responsible for your growth. Set your own standards—and meet them.

• Stay connected to your why. When you remember the bigger reason behind what you’re doing, urgency becomes natural.

A team without urgency will always look to you for the next step. But a team with urgency? They move before you even have to ask. They’re aligned, engaged, and driven.

That’s the kind of leadership that creates lasting impact—and it all starts with you.

- Dean Crisp