“If you had to choose one word that defines how you lead, what would it be?”
That was the final, thought-provoking question Jose Alcocer posed to our panel at the recent Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa Symposium.
My answer was immediate, and it wasn’t by accident: Momentum.
The Physics of Ecosystem Building
Most people know the original Isaac Newton for his second law of motion: F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration).
And yes, that is my real name.
But beyond high school physics, this famous equation is the best way I can describe my approach to work, leadership, and ecosystem building.
There is a common misconception in the business world that systemic change comes from a single visionary moving incredibly fast. It doesn’t.
Generating Force Through “Mass”
In the context of driving innovation in Africa, “mass” represents the collective weight of our ecosystem: the entrepreneurs, investors, government bodies, corporate partners, universities, and local communities.
- Noise vs. Force: If every stakeholder in the ecosystem moves rapidly but in different directions, all we create is noise and friction.
- Strategic Alignment: If we align those diverse groups and get them moving in the same direction, we create an unstoppable force.
That is exactly where I spend my time: connecting people, ideas, institutions, and opportunities so that they can move together cohesively.
Acceleration is Speed Plus Direction
There is one more crucial leadership lesson hidden within Newton’s equation. In physics, acceleration is a vector quantity—meaning it is not just about speed; it inherently includes direction.
Moving faster only matters if you are actually moving toward something worth building.
Speed without a clear goal is just a fast track to burnout. True leadership requires setting a strategic direction so that the collective speed of your team and partners actually drives meaningful impact.
That is why my defining leadership word will always be “momentum.”
What is yours? Let me know in the comments below.
Tags: Momentum, Leadership Styles, Innovation in Africa, Ecosystem Building, Strategic Partnerships, African Entrepreneurship, Social Impact, Kofi Annan Award, Business Strategy
