Gen. Bernard Banks: How To Turn A Moment Into Momentum

Gen. Bernard Banks: How To Turn a Moment Into Momentum

In sports, a team’s identity can change right before your eyes. Take the infamous 2017 Super Bowl: down 28–3, Tom Brady’s Patriots mounted a historic comeback to win in overtime, stunning millions of viewers.

What changed? How does a single moment turn into lasting momentum?

It’s a question that’s long fascinated athletes, writers, fans and team executives—and one I’ve posed to world-class leaders across industries, from Fortune 500 CEOs to championship coaches to military generals. It’s also the subject of my new book, The New Science of Momentum, which hit shelves last week.

On this special edition of my podcast, I sat down with my co-author, retired Brig. Gen. Bernard Banks. Together, we explored the nature of momentum—where it comes from, how it can shift in an instant, and what it takes to harness it.

Bernie brings firsthand military experience. In the early 2000s, he was tasked with turning around one of the lowest-performing Apache helicopter units in the Army. To many, the assignment seemed insurmountable. But within two years, that same unit ranked No. 1.

How did he do it?

“We started to engage in a series of activities that created small wins,” he told me. “And those small victories enhanced our belief in our ability to prevail.”

Most leaders recognize momentum when they see it. But learning how to identify it in real time—and capitalize on it—is harder. That’s why Bernie and I spent eight years combining our research, fieldwork, and more than two years of podcast insights to distill practical strategies. A few of our key takeaways:

• Prepare your team. In any situation, consider every angle. “You should be running scenarios in advance, so that, you know, if this transpires, here’s how we’ll respond,” Bernie said.

• Build culture. When momentum swings your way, culture sustains it—and that comes top-down. “It’s a leader’s obligation to put in the work,” Bernie said, “so that the outcome is one they plan for and can build upon.”

• Study models. Sustainable success requires structure. Airplanes aren’t best built mid-flight. Use reliable, replicable frameworks to stay on course.

• Fires need stoking. Momentum isn’t self-sustaining. It requires fueling. It’s a leader’s job to reignite momentum when it begins to fade.

Crossing a finish line takes more than a sprint—it takes a series of intentional steps. The Patriots’ comeback in 2017 didn’t happen in one play. It happened one moment at a time, backed by belief. And as Bernie reminded me, it’s a leader’s job to amplify those small victories. That’s how teams begin to believe in miracles.