Leadership often reveals itself in key moments — those times when stepping up and adopting the right mindset can make a lasting difference. Think about someone who always gives helpful feedback, truly listens, or points the team in the right direction. These are the signs of great leadership.
Dr Philios Andreou, deputy CEO of BTS Group, emphasises the importance of recognising these “leadership moments”. These are times when true leadership shines through, shaping the success of both individuals and the entire organisation.
By identifying these moments, we can create a playbook to help leaders know what to do when it really counts.
These “leadership moments” are critical opportunities where great leaders make a real impact on both their team and the business.
The Importance of Leadership Moments
Leadership often shines brightest in moments of decision-making, adaptability and vision. The best leaders remain flexible, understanding that each situation calls for a unique approach. Whether it’s meeting a challenging stakeholder, handling internal conflicts or delivering feedback under pressure, great leaders recognise these as opportunities to leave a meaningful impact. These “leadership moments” reveal a leader’s strength and clarity of purpose, differentiating the good from the truly great.
At the heart of effective leadership is the understanding that true leaders don’t embody a single value, behaviour or competency one at a time. Leadership unfolds in these moments, and how leaders show up — through their actions, mindset and attitudes — defines their influence. These moments either reinforce or undermine the organisational culture.
Dr Andreou also explained the power of a moment-based leadership playbook. This tool provides leaders with practical guidance to navigate real-time situations, highlighting both “effective” and “ineffective” responses through specific scenarios tailored to their organisation. It helps leaders shift from outdated habits to more constructive and impactful approaches.
Consider, for example, a situation where the team seeks a decision from a leader:
Effective leaders actively listen to team members’ ideas, prompting them to consider any overlooked details or potential challenges. They empower the team lead by giving them the majority share in the decision-making process, with encouragement: “I’m eager to see your choice — this is your decision to make.”
Less effective leaders assume it’s their responsibility to make the final call on tough decisions. They may listen to alternative ideas, but ultimately, they decide for the team, limiting the team lead’s autonomy.
Applying Leadership Moments
Identify key leadership moments: Look for situations where leadership can have the biggest impact. These moments could involve making strategic decisions, resolving conflicts or negotiating deals.
Incorporate these moments into leadership assessments: Evaluate how leaders perform during these critical times. Use this as a way to identify development areas and close any gaps in skills or capabilities.
Create a leadership playbook: Develop clear expectations for how leaders should behave in important moments, so they are ready to act effectively when it counts.
Moment-based leadership serves as both a blueprint and a measure of respect for leaders, helping them understand which outdated habits to leave behind and which new behaviours to embrace. This approach supports leaders in performing at their best, bridging strategy and action to sustain organisational progress.
Ultimately, leadership is about recognising these key moments, adopting the right mindset, and inspiring those around us to reach their full potential. This is what true leadership looks like — and it’s the foundation for long-lasting success.
Dr Thidarat Ariyaprasert
Dr Thidarat Ariyaprasert is the Commercial Director at BTS Thailand (formerly SEAC), part of the BTS Group, a leading global strategy implementation firm. Executives and organisations looking to collaborate or learn more about leadership development, talent and succession planning and organisational transformation can contact her directly at thidarat.ariyaprasert@bts.com or connect with her on LinkedIn