November 2, 2022

Timing is Everything

By Ken Giglio, Principal of Mindful Leadership

“Timing is Everything” is a proverb used in all walks of life. It is often associated with comedians telling jokes in such a way that they are well received and have the maximum effect. Though most successful leaders are not comedians (the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is an exception), in my 22 years of coaching, I can say some leaders have had better timing than others.

The leaders with the best timing are the most situationally aware around when and how they communicate, for example, so their message will be “well received and have maximum effect.” This is especially important when communicating what can be perceived as bad news. Exhibiting the right timing is less about skill than about growing our awareness and our attunement with those around us and the environment we co-inhabit.

We need to ask ourselves – What is the readiness of the audience for what I plan to communicate? What can I anticipate in terms of individual and group reactivity to the message? Is patience needed, or do I need to get ahead of the situation and act now?

There is no perfect timing. Every situation is different and playing out in a web of interconnectivity. Timing is everything, and everything is happening in the present. The greater our presence in each moment, the better our timing.