To make team members the most productive they can be, leaders often see their role as removing the obstacles and constraints that prevent the team from excelling.
Good leaders also view their role as taking the heat for the team when results are poor and when organizational politics get in the way of productivity.
Shielding the team and team members from unwanted noise preserves focus and improves morale. Protecting others so they can focus on executing their work is a role only leaders can play.
The best leaders take this charge very seriously.
To further protect the team and its members, leaders must often say “No” to upstream requests for unnecessary work and shifting priorities that can take the team off task.
Leaders above are often the source of noise and distraction. They can direct work, create unnecessary urgency, and ask for deliverables that are a waste of time.
Team members can’t really decline their requests, but strong team leaders can.
Saying “No” can delay leaders upstream, allowing the team to maintain its focus and avoid being pulled in multiple directions.
Team members appreciate a leader who is willing to stand up for them and negate anything that is not essential or sets unnecessary new priorities.
Unwanted noise can also come from support functions and peers. So, protecting the team can also require leaders to run interference with powerful internal stakeholders, such as compliance, risk, legal, and human resources.
This does not mean leaders bypass the needs of colleagues or dispute legitimate requests from more senior leaders. But it does mean that every request or call for action should be viewed for its importance relative to what the team is already working on.
On occasion, the only way to make the progress everyone, including other colleagues, ultimately expects is for the leader to refute the request. Saying “No” has consequences and will often embroil the leader in minor skirmishes, but that is the price of being a protective advocate.
Leaders with the courage to protect their team and team members enjoy an elevated credibility because they serve as a shield, protecting others and the work they do.
Good leaders stand in the line of fire so their team members can stand for what is most important. Are you a protective leader?
