Most of us are focused on the next deadline, the next decision, or the next item on the to-do list. We rarely stop to ask why progress feels easy in some seasons and frustratingly difficult in others.
We may assume the answer is that we need to put in more hours or stay a little later at work.
But according to leadership expert Chris Wilson, that’s often the wrong response. Drawing from high-stakes aviation environments, Chris uses a concept called the Dead Man’s Curve, a point where a helicopter has lost enough altitude and speed that recovery becomes extremely difficult. The opportunity to correct course existed earlier, before the warning signs became impossible to ignore.
Leadership challenges often work the same way. Momentum rarely disappears overnight. More often, it fades gradually. A difficult conversation gets postponed, a decision sits unresolved, a project loses focus, or a team starts feeling disconnected.
None of these things seem significant on their own. But over time, they create enough friction to bring progress to a standstill. The solution is recognizing the signs early and making small adjustments before momentum is lost.
That’s the idea behind Chris’s Momentum Map, a framework built around three key elements: mindset, action, and commitment. Just practical shifts that help leaders regain clarity, reduce friction, and start moving forward again.
That idea feels especially relevant right now. Uncertainty has become part of doing business, and leaders are constantly expected to make decisions without having all the answers.
Think of a ship adjusting its direction by a single degree. The change feels insignificant at the moment, but over time it leads somewhere entirely different.
What You’ll Learn on July 17
Chris’s keynote, Momentum Shift: Small Shifts, Big Breakthroughs, is built around practical tools leaders can use immediately.
Attendees will learn:
- How to recognize the early signs that momentum is beginning to break down
- A practical framework for moving from overwhelm and hesitation to decisive action
- Why small, intentional changes often create the biggest long-term impact
- How to maintain progress even when conditions aren’t ideal
If you’ve ever felt like effort alone should be enough to produce results, this session may change the way you think about progress altogether.
Why the Room Matters as Much as the Speaker
There is no shortage of leadership content today. You can find podcasts, webinars, newsletters, videos, and books on almost any topic imaginable.
What’s harder to find is 90 minutes in a room with people who are actually doing that work in your community. People who understand what it means to build something in Reno, to lead a team in Northern Nevada, to navigate the specific opportunities and pressures of this market.
That’s what the WIN Speaker Series has been creating for more than 56 years, and it’s why we keep investing in it. Join us on July 17 at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa for a morning of insight and takeaways you can put to work right away.
Not yet a WIN member? Join today and gain access to this event and future Speaker Series breakfasts, where meaningful connections and professional growth go hand in hand.