I like the format, so bravo for taking a chance. I can feel your story, Jennifer, so that really lands. I also agree with your analysis, Andrea, of how it could have gone better and what you can do better the next time.
I want to point out something at the system level. The system worked. The project was understood well enough by the team and delivered on time despite all that. From the system’s point of view, nothing failed. So the question becomes: why would the manager or leader change here if they could get the outcome they wanted without changing?
The real cost, both of you have pointed out in other posts, shows up later as a lagging effect in churn and burnout. Because of that delay, this does not register in the moment as poor leadership to the system, even though the human cost is real. The tension you are naming is that gap between immediate delivery success and long-term human cost.
Really thoughtful piece. It captures a pattern that many teams recognize, even if they experience it differently depending on where they sit.
Your observation is absolutely correct, Andrew. Which is why everything is so broken 😞 I do believe the same outcome can be achieved even when human-centred. But it takes intent and care, for sure.
Nice job. If I’m honest, I have been the person shouting “lean in” and not defining clearly. I have learned a lot over the years and adjusted but it’s super easy to fall into that trap when you’re in the daily grind. Nice list of tactics at the end.
Thanks for the feedback! I agree, I tend to fall back into these patterns when I’m too busy, so I don’t think enough about things in an attempt to ‘keep moving’
#2. This story reminds me of why AI is going to (and is) be a problem in the workplace around leaders who are unable to define and create organisation from chaos. Assumptions are made that "we have the A team here" but it's like telling a football team to "just go play football" together having never played together. If leaders can't tell HUMANS what to do, then good luck doing it with a machine.
If we don't ask questions like, "so hang on, am I defence or attack? If we're both attack, how do you want to work together? How do we want to pass the ball? Are you left or right footed?" the team will fumble, a more organised team will get the ball and yet the players will be blamed. In this case, poor Rahul sits and contemplates his life choices over his shitty office coffee - ha while also being told "no one asked you to do that, Rahul - who told you to pick up the slack?"
#3 I've been the leader who takes the time to set things up, define how we work, sets up the RACI and reviews together, discusses "how will we deal with disagreement" - because I've been Rahul. And yet - if the system isn't designed to support this, and momentum is what someone above you prioritises, this kind of leadership is ignored, dismissed and this kind of leader leaves. (Andrew's in my head about this one lol)
Such a great analogy (or metaphor…I get nervous when you’re around 😂).
I’ve also been Rahul and it sucks because of exactly what you mention- the whole “well no one asked you to”. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re trying to prove your value, and, as a woman of colour, I find that if I don’t explicitly make my work visible, then I don’t get credit for it. It’s a tough position to be in.
And I also agree with Andrew (Substack’s voice of reason).
lol we can call it whatever we like because we have an aligned understanding - you get what I’m saying whatever we call it. Bonus points that you know I’m talking about soccer football 🎉
I think that’s exactly right. The story is painfully common: you live, you learn, you try to improve things, then realise that the system is kind of rigged so it’s really hard to make positive changes 🥲
Andrea’s callout on information asymmetry is huge. I often feel the weight of being the single point of failure if I don’t pass on important information to the teams executing the projects.
Cutting off information (intentionally or not) is like cutting off blood circulation to an important limb. You do that too often or too long, and that limb stops working.
You make a good point there - that the pressure is not only on the delivery team. In many cases it’s easy to point fingers and blame the more senior person in the room, but we’re only human!
Totally. Which makes it so important for leaders to hold themselves to a higher standard. I do ultimately point the finger at myself if the delivery team fails. 😂 Especially if they are “leaning in,” and giving the shirt off their backs to get a project done. Always something to learn and improve.
I’m a huge fan of the story-telling approach, and an even bigger fan of this collaboration. Thank you for this, Andrea and Jennifer!
I like the format, so bravo for taking a chance. I can feel your story, Jennifer, so that really lands. I also agree with your analysis, Andrea, of how it could have gone better and what you can do better the next time.
I want to point out something at the system level. The system worked. The project was understood well enough by the team and delivered on time despite all that. From the system’s point of view, nothing failed. So the question becomes: why would the manager or leader change here if they could get the outcome they wanted without changing?
The real cost, both of you have pointed out in other posts, shows up later as a lagging effect in churn and burnout. Because of that delay, this does not register in the moment as poor leadership to the system, even though the human cost is real. The tension you are naming is that gap between immediate delivery success and long-term human cost.
Really thoughtful piece. It captures a pattern that many teams recognize, even if they experience it differently depending on where they sit.
Your observation is absolutely correct, Andrew. Which is why everything is so broken 😞 I do believe the same outcome can be achieved even when human-centred. But it takes intent and care, for sure.
Yes, we need better feedback. I am thinking electro shock those leaders like the old Operation game every time they hit the side :)
I don’t hate this
Loving this innovative motivational technique Andrew, I’ll do my next article on this 🤣
Nice job. If I’m honest, I have been the person shouting “lean in” and not defining clearly. I have learned a lot over the years and adjusted but it’s super easy to fall into that trap when you’re in the daily grind. Nice list of tactics at the end.
Thanks for the feedback! I agree, I tend to fall back into these patterns when I’m too busy, so I don’t think enough about things in an attempt to ‘keep moving’
We’ve all done it. Sometimes we rely on ambiguity and just hope everyone figures it out.
#1. I am Rahul, thank you for telling my story 🤣
#2. This story reminds me of why AI is going to (and is) be a problem in the workplace around leaders who are unable to define and create organisation from chaos. Assumptions are made that "we have the A team here" but it's like telling a football team to "just go play football" together having never played together. If leaders can't tell HUMANS what to do, then good luck doing it with a machine.
If we don't ask questions like, "so hang on, am I defence or attack? If we're both attack, how do you want to work together? How do we want to pass the ball? Are you left or right footed?" the team will fumble, a more organised team will get the ball and yet the players will be blamed. In this case, poor Rahul sits and contemplates his life choices over his shitty office coffee - ha while also being told "no one asked you to do that, Rahul - who told you to pick up the slack?"
#3 I've been the leader who takes the time to set things up, define how we work, sets up the RACI and reviews together, discusses "how will we deal with disagreement" - because I've been Rahul. And yet - if the system isn't designed to support this, and momentum is what someone above you prioritises, this kind of leadership is ignored, dismissed and this kind of leader leaves. (Andrew's in my head about this one lol)
Such a great analogy (or metaphor…I get nervous when you’re around 😂).
I’ve also been Rahul and it sucks because of exactly what you mention- the whole “well no one asked you to”. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re trying to prove your value, and, as a woman of colour, I find that if I don’t explicitly make my work visible, then I don’t get credit for it. It’s a tough position to be in.
And I also agree with Andrew (Substack’s voice of reason).
Big Andrew love.
lol we can call it whatever we like because we have an aligned understanding - you get what I’m saying whatever we call it. Bonus points that you know I’m talking about soccer football 🎉
I think that’s exactly right. The story is painfully common: you live, you learn, you try to improve things, then realise that the system is kind of rigged so it’s really hard to make positive changes 🥲
Andrea’s callout on information asymmetry is huge. I often feel the weight of being the single point of failure if I don’t pass on important information to the teams executing the projects.
Cutting off information (intentionally or not) is like cutting off blood circulation to an important limb. You do that too often or too long, and that limb stops working.
You make a good point there - that the pressure is not only on the delivery team. In many cases it’s easy to point fingers and blame the more senior person in the room, but we’re only human!
Totally. Which makes it so important for leaders to hold themselves to a higher standard. I do ultimately point the finger at myself if the delivery team fails. 😂 Especially if they are “leaning in,” and giving the shirt off their backs to get a project done. Always something to learn and improve.
I’m a huge fan of the story-telling approach, and an even bigger fan of this collaboration. Thank you for this, Andrea and Jennifer!