Lead EARLY - Lead is transition, not the final state

If you signal EARLY your partner will have MORE TIME to react.
This will make it a lot easier to dance with you!

She'll have more time to think and maybe even add in styling!

Similarly, if you are stopping her turns, start applying the braking force EARLY so that it wont be so jarring. Thus she would feel that the dance is SMOOTH!

But how early is early??

For me, I start leading the next move as early as possible, i.e. Once I've planted her on one one foot, I'll start to shift her weight in the direction I want for the other foot!!

e..g. Once she's stepped on count 1, immediately I start the lead for her direction, etc. for count 2!

Every lead is a transition (1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, etc.).
You are telling your partner how to move from 1 count to the other count!!

Many beginner dancers (and even teachers) mistakenly lead the move (teach the move) ON the count rather than TO the count.

e.g. for a CBLT, leading the girl to turn towards the left, should start at 5 and end at 6. It's a TRANSITION. (note that at 6, it should CONTINUE to 7 in a SMOOTH way, not a stop can continue thing)

Many beginners will lead the turn only at count 6. Which is the DESTINATION, it's too late!!

This is related to the planting technique. BRING HER THERE! Move her and change her direction starting from count 5. The lead does not stop there! Continue the guidance and STOP + PLANT her where she should step at by the time she reaches count 6! It's a continuous process! Pace the turn and the amount of force used according to the speed. Apply brake when u need to change directions.