Overcoming Blockers and Building Business Momentum | Momentum Series Part 2

In the first part of this series on building momentum, we explored how recognising and challenging long-accepted constraints creates pivotal "momentum points" that transform businesses. We learned that momentum points occur when teams collectively recognise that constraints they have accepted as fixed are actually flexible and that this recognition, more than the enabling technology itself, creates transformative acceleration.

But recognition alone isn't enough. Even after experiencing that collective "aha moment" where new possibilities become clear, numerous blockers can prevent organisations from capitalising on these momentum points. In this second instalment, we'll dive deep into helping discover what is really holding businesses back and provide a practical framework for overcoming these obstacles.

Whether we're leading a small team or a large enterprise, addressing these blockers effectively is essential for building the initial momentum that can eventually transform our business. Let's explore how to clear the path for acceleration.

Understanding Constraints vs. Blockers

In Part 1, we focused on constraints, i.e. the underlying limitations we've accepted as fixed. Once we've recognised those constraints as flexible, we encounter a new challenge: blockers that prevent us from acting on this recognition.

Constraints are the underlying limitations or boundaries that define how systems operate. Recognising that these constraints are flexible creates momentum points. Constraints can be:

• Real (regulatory requirements, physical laws)

• Perceived ("we've always done it this way")

• Self-imposed (outdated policies, legacy thinking)

  
  

Blockers are the immediate obstacles that prevent organisations from capitalising on momentum points. They're often:

• More tactical and specific than constraints

• Symptoms of underlying constraints

• Practical barriers teams face daily after recognising new possibilities

  
  

Understanding this distinction helps in addressing both the fundamental limitations (constraints) that require perspective shifts and the immediate obstacles (blockers) that require practical solutions.

Identifying Blockers: What's Really Holding Us Back?

The path to momentum is rarely clear of obstacles. Before we can accelerate change, we need to identify and address the blockers that keep organisations locked in established patterns. These blockers often masquerade as practical limitations but are frequently symptoms of deeper constraints rooted in mindsets, organisational structures and unquestioned assumptions.

Common Momentum Blockers

These are symptoms of common blockers that are likely to come up in discussion:

• Not enough time in the day: perhaps the most universal blocker is the "too busy" syndrome. Teams are so consumed with running the current business that they can't invest in creating momentum for the future. This creates a dangerous cycle where tactical work continually displaces strategic transformation.

• Budget limitations: financial constraints often appear as immovable blockers. Without additional investment, teams assume they must continue with existing approaches, missing opportunities to redirect current spending to higher-impact activities. Even more challenging are situations where organisations have recently made significant capital investments in technology systems that remain on the books as assets. These investments can inadvertently dictate process design, with teams feeling obligated to work within the constraints of these systems rather than reimagining what could be possible. The accounting reality of depreciation schedules and ROI targets can thus become invisible barriers to momentum, with the sunk cost fallacy driving process decisions instead of strategic opportunity.

• Political Resistance: Often unspoken but powerfully felt, political blockers manifest when momentum points threaten existing power structures or ways of working. These blockers arise when individuals or teams perceive that transformation might reduce their influence, control or importance within the organisation. Unlike other blockers that are openly discussed, political resistance frequently operates beneath the surface, i.e. manifesting as delayed decisions, excessive requirements for "further analysis" or passive commitment that never translates to action. This resistance isn't necessarily malicious; it's often a natural response to perceived threats to status, expertise or established identity. What makes political blockers particularly challenging is that they rarely present themselves directly.

• Team dependencies: transformative initiatives frequently require support from specialised teams, particularly technology groups, who are already aligned to "more pressing" priorities. These dependencies create bottlenecks that stall momentum before it can begin.

• Siloed thinking: when transformation efforts are confined to departmental boundaries, they often achieve efficiency improvements without creating true momentum. The most powerful momentum points typically cross organisational boundaries, requiring multiple teams to recognise new possibilities together.

• Regulatory and compliance requirements: industry regulations and compliance frameworks can create perceived immovability. Teams assume certain approaches are required, when in reality, the requirements often focus on outcomes rather than methods.

  
  

Breaking Through Blockers: A Team Approach

Identifying and addressing blockers isn't a solo endeavour, it requires diverse perspectives from across the organisation. Here's an approach that has proven effective:

1. Convene a Cross-Functional Team: bring together representatives from different departments who interact with the target opportunity, process or challenge. Include both experienced veterans and newer team members who haven't yet accepted "the way things are".

2. Question Current Approaches: have the team methodically examine current processes by asking:

   • Why do we do this particular task or process?

   • What outcome are we trying to achieve?

   • What could we do differently to get a better result?

   • What's stopping us from making these changes?

   • Who might feel threatened by these changes and why?

3. Categorise the Blockers: as obstacles surface through discussions, sort them into categories:

   • Can be eliminated: practices that exist solely due to tradition.

   • Can be automated: tasks that consume time but add little value.

   • Can be reimagined: processes that achieve necessary outcomes but in unnecessarily complex ways.

   • Requires careful navigation: changes that might disrupt existing roles or influence structures.

   • Truly immovable: blockers that cannot be changed (far fewer than most assume).

4. Challenge the "Immovables": for each supposedly immovable blocker, ask:

   • Is this truly fixed, or just difficult to change?

   • What would be the impact if we found a way to work differently?

   • Who else has solved a similar challenge in a novel way?

   • If this blocker truly cannot change, how might we design around it?

5. Address Political Dynamics: For blockers with political dimensions, incorporate these approaches:

   • Reframe the conversation as enhancing rather than replacing existing structures (if possible).

   • Create psychological safety where concerns can be voiced openly without judgment.

   • Identify champions at multiple levels who can advocate for change from within their departments.

   • Focus on common ground and shared objectives that transcend departmental boundaries.

   • Start implementation where there's already energy for change rather than confronting the strongest resistance first.

The blocker identification process often reveals that many "immovable objects" are actually just "difficult to move" and the distinction makes all the difference when building momentum. By systematically questioning blockers, involving diverse perspectives and addressing both practical and political dimensions we can identify true limitations.

Getting Started: Creating Initial Momentum Points

Each journey starts with the recognition that the business can accelerate beyond what was previously thought possible. To bring this recognition into a reality, two key challenges emerge: constrained thinking (the belief that certain limitations are fixed when they're actually flexible, as explored in Part 1) and practical blockers (the obstacles addressed in this article).

These blockers represent the inertia that must be overcome before the momentum flywheel can begin to spin. Once mindsets have shifted and sufficient practical obstacles have been removed, even small efforts can start generating the momentum that eventually transforms the business. The journey doesn't begin with grand, sweeping changes but with deliberate, focused actions that build confidence and demonstrate value.

The Crawl Phase: Start Small and Specific

Begin by selecting a single, well-defined blocker that the cross functional team has the authority and capability to address:

• Choose Wisely: look for a blocker that:

o   Creates visible friction in daily work.

o   Can be addressed relatively quickly (days or weeks, not months).

o   Doesn't require approval from multiple stakeholders.

o   Will deliver clear, measurable improvement when resolved.

• Focus on Completion: rather than tackling multiple opportunities simultaneously, concentrate all available energy on removing this single blocker completely. Half-finished initiatives drain energy without creating momentum.

• Document the Before State: capture metrics, experiences and pain points associated with the current process. This baseline will help demonstrate the value of changes later.

• Involve the Right People: include both the people who experience the pain of the current blocker and those who have the expertise to imagine alternative approaches.

  
  

The Walk Phase: Build on Success

Once the initial blocker is successfully removed, use that achievement to build broader support and tackle more significant problems:

• Celebrate Visibly: share the success story widely, focusing not just on what changed but on how the team identified and questioned the blocker. This reinforces the momentum mindset throughout the organisation.

• Document the Return: measure and communicate the benefit of the change, whether in time saved, frustration reduced or opportunities created. This builds the case for investing in further momentum initiatives.

• Sequence the Next Moves: rather than expanding to multiple parallel initiatives, select the next most impactful blocker to address. Each successive win should build on previous achievements, creating a coherent story of progress.

The Run Phase: Creating a Flywheel Effect

As the team successfully removes multiple blockers, momentum begins to build naturally. The organisation develops both the capability and the appetite for more significant and accelerated momentum:

• Connect the Dots: help everyone see how individual improvements are part of a larger momentum story. What began as discrete fixes should now reveal patterns of constraint-breaking that could apply more broadly.

• Increase Scope, Not Quantity: continue to focus on one major initiative at a time, but gradually increase the scope and complexity of the constraints addressed. This maintains focus while building capacity for more significant change.

• Start Finishing, Stop Starting: resist the temptation to launch new initiatives before completing current ones. Half-finished projects create cynicism and drain resources without delivering momentum.

• Establish a Rhythm: create a predictable cadence for addressing blockers, this might be quarterly focus areas or on the back of any scheduled planning cycles. This rhythm helps teams balance momentum work with their ongoing responsibilities.

From Blockers to Breakthroughs

The initial momentum phase is not about revolutionising the entire business model, it is about systematically building the capability, credibility and confidence needed for more ambitious transformation. By starting small, focusing on completion and building a coherent sequence of wins, a flywheel can be created that eventually generates its own momentum.

As discussed in Part 1, momentum points emerge when recognising that long-accepted constraints are actually flexible. The work explored here, identifying and overcoming blockers, is what enables the action. By following the three-step process from Part 1 (questioning assumed constraints, looking for friction points and connecting enablers to outcomes) and then systematically removing blockers, conditions for transformative acceleration can be created.

In the next instalment, we'll explore how to scale momentum across your organisation by enabling teams to find their own momentum points and building the capabilities needed for sustained acceleration. We'll examine the delicate balance between speed and stability and provide frameworks for creating a momentum culture that extends beyond any individual initiative.

Until then, start with the constraint-questioning conversation we suggested in Part 1. Once you've identified which immovable constraints might actually be flexible, use the frameworks from this instalment to tackle the blockers preventing action. What single blocker, if removed, would create the most visible demonstration of what's possible when we question "the way we've always done things"?