In a chemical reaction the slowest step is called the rate-determining step. This is the step for which the transition state has the highest energy. It can be thought of as the most difficult step to go through. It is also the step that must be used to calculate the activation energy.
Knowing which step is rate-determining is very important when studying a reaction mechanism. This is because if this step is changed the reaction can go much faster. This can be done for example by using a different reagent or changing the temperature or pressure. Changing the conditions for any other step of the mechanism will not change the overall speed of the reaction at all.