Where and When Leaders Should Tune In

Let's face it, leaders don't have time to pay attention to everything team members are doing all the time. Cultivating the discernment to know what to pay attention to when is a leadership achievement.

And then, when the leader does decide they need to dive in or step up in a certain area, there's the question of in which realm. Are you stepping up as the leader leading the way, or as someone familiar with the technical aspects of the work, or both?

Each box in the matrix below describes what the environment might look like when things are going as they should be. The goal for leaders is to be tuned in enough to move around the matrix consciously.

Stepping up to lead the way, but pulled back on the work

In this case, the leader is able to focus on leading. The team is technically competent and achieves results. The leader's job is to hold accountability to the vision and set the pace and tone along the way.

Stepping up to lead the way and dived into the work

This is during a high-stakes time when the pace may be expedited. The leader is leading the way and is also involved in the technical work. They may be calibrating the vision to the realities of the work, they may be modeling what right looks like, or mentoring a less experienced team member.

Pulled back on leading the way, and pulled back on the work

Just like there are high-stakes times described above, there are fallow times when the team and/or leader can take some rest and renewal. Or the team may be high-performing and not need a lot of steering. Frankly, it may be a time of organizational chaos where the best thing for a leader is to wait out the changes over which they have no control.

Dived into the work but pulled back on leading the way

Leaders may be here when they’re not ready to chart a course for the team. They need to understand what’s going on first. They may be new to their role, or they may be focused on filling in the role of a missing team member. Heads are down and even the leader has their sleeves rolled up, so to speak.

Remember, no matter where the leader is in the matrix, they are always tuned in to know if they should transition to another area. So even when the leader deliberately pulls back, they remain aware enough that they’ll know when it’s time to dive back into the detail or step up and lead the way.