Say Goodbye to the Cape

Sometimes the best of intentions can result in unintended negative consequences. So many leaders seek to shield their team with the intention of allowing them to be happy and successful, but sometimes, in the process, they actually impede their team from growing and developing. Furthermore, this can result in the leader feeling like they spend all of their time running air cover instead of doing the work they truly enjoy.

In my coaching practice, I have seen this manifest a number of different ways from the leader who always has a cape ready next to their desk so they can swoop in to save to the day, to the leader who appears combative as they are always ready to fight for their team, to the leader who is so busy protecting their team they never delegate. Speaking with one over-stressed leader this week, she shared, “The fact is that I didn’t ask them if they were too busy; I just assumed they were and took on the work myself.”

A recent Harvard Business Review article titled, “How to Equip Your Team to Problem Solve Without You (hbr.org),” explored this type of leader who they refer to as “umbrella managers.” This term comes from their desire to protect their teams from all inclement organizational weather. In the article they give a number of practical tips acknowledging that “Putting away the managerial umbrella and fitting your organization with ponchos is not easy, but the payoff is worth it.”

I work with leaders regularly to set aside their leadership capes so that their teams can grow their skills allowing them to create scalable leadership models that drive high performing teams. Please reach out if you are looking for someone to come alongside you in your journey.