Effective Leaders know how to approach certain situations in ways that reinforce why they are leaders in the first place. They seem to inherently know how to engage to produce the best results. Their words and actions are usually spot-on. How do they do it?

There are various explanations, but one is their ability to discern if the situation is a race or a rose. Here’s what I mean.

Sometimes, the situation requires quick action. It’s a race to the finish line. No dawdling, standing around, or analyzing for the perfect solution. Immediacy and intensity are required. Usually, these situations are tasks that need to be accomplished. Quickly. When you’re in such a situation, be impatient. Act with immediacy. Have some intensity.

Other times, certain situations should be viewed as a rose—allowing time for the rose to bloom in its own time. You can’t rush certain situations. For instance, people issues are not a light switch, but need time to develop. You can’t rush those things and remain effective. In those situations, be patient. Be longsuffering. Allow some latitude.

Just don’t get it backwards. If you treat a race as if it were a rose, you will delay communication, extend conversations and procrastinate. In the end, you miss deadlines and expectations.

On the other hand, if you consider a rose as if it were a race, you will push too hard, leaving frustration and heartache in your wake. You can’t yank at the pedals to force the rose to bloom. Where’s effective leadership in that?

When you correctly identify whether the situation is race or a rose and you act accordingly, you establish yourself as having strong leadership judgment. Once again, you become a person worth following.