Most leaders think they need massive change to create massive results. But the truth is simpler: momentum is built on small, intentional shifts repeated consistently.
In helicopters, one millimetre of cyclic input can change the entire direction of the aircraft.
Leadership works the same way.
The leaders who create real progress aren’t the loudest or the busiest — they’re the ones who understand the compounding power of 1%.
The 1% rule isn’t about working harder.
It’s about choosing one small, strategic behaviour that improves your team’s clarity, alignment, or energy.
Because when a team gets even slightly more focused, slightly more aligned, or slightly more accountable, the trajectory changes fast.
Here’s the part most people miss: teams don’t stall because of big problems.
They stall because of tiny misalignments that go unaddressed — unclear expectations, inconsistent follow-through, drifting priorities, slow decisions, unclear goals.
These aren’t catastrophic failures… but they accumulate just like micro-corrections in flight.
A leader who shifts 1% every day is dramatically more effective than a leader who tries to overhaul everything at once.
Try it today:
Shift 1% in clarity. Re-communicate one expectation.
Shift 1% in alignment. Reconfirm the next step with your team.
Shift 1% in energy. Remove one unnecessary meeting or barrier.
Tiny inputs. Massive directional change.
When leaders embrace 1% improvements, they stop managing motion and start creating momentum.
They build teams that move forward without needing constant pressure.
They reduce friction.
They build trust.
And eventually, those micro-shifts turn into the kind of transformation leaders chase their entire careers.
You don’t need a new strategy. You don’t need a new system. You just need a small shift — applied consistently — that moves you out of stagnation and into forward movement.
Because the secret to high-performance leadership is simple: do less dramatically, but do it deliberately.
Choose one 1% leadership action today — clarity, alignment, or energy. Commit to it for one week and watch the direction of your team change.
Chris M Wilson
Chris Wilson is a leadership keynote speaker, former aviator, and creator of the Momentum Shift Framework. Based in Vancouver, BC, he helps leaders and organizations navigate change, build clarity, and create momentum that lasts.
Weekly insights to help you lead through change, build momentum, and create your next shift.
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