The myth of momentum

May 04, 2026

Beginning this month, The African Federation will host its first annual TAF Global Conference. Now, in the lead-up to any major gathering, there is a natural temptation to think in terms of momentum. As registrations roll in we begin to focus on ways to increase registrations. Conversations become more active. Interest grows. New connections emerge and activity becomes visible.

Momentum is one of the most celebrated concepts in leadership. We talk about building momentum, maintaining momentum and creating momentum. Organisations report momentum to supporters. Leaders reassure themselves with momentum when outcomes remain uncertain. But the problem is that momentum is often mistaken for progress. A successful event can create momentum. A growing membership base can create momentum. An active social media presence can create momentum. But momentum alone does not tell us whether we are moving in the right direction.

As we prepare for the conference, I find myself thinking less about attendance and more about alignment. Less about activity and more about clarity. The questions that come to my mind most are not how many people will attend the event, but whether we are becoming clearer about what we are building together.

Are responsibilities understood? Is authority clear? Are expectations aligned? Do people understand not only the vision, but the work required to make it real? These questions rarely generate excitement. They do not create headlines or produce immediate results. Yet they determine whether institutions become durable or simply remain busy.

The pressure to maintain momentum can discourage reflection. Teams become reluctant to pause because stopping feels like failure. Leaders continue adding initiatives because removing them feels like retreat. Eventually organisations find themselves moving quickly without knowing whether they are moving well.

Some of the most important institutional decisions are made during periods that appear slower from the outside. Plans are refined. Governance is strengthened. Assumptions are tested. Weak foundations are reinforced before they are placed under greater strain. To observers, momentum may appear to have been lost.

In reality, direction is being regained. The institutions that endure are not those that move fastest. They are those that understand when to accelerate, when to consolidate and when to stop long enough to ask whether the path still makes sense.

Momentum is useful. But direction is indispensable. And when the two come into conflict, direction must always win.