Lately, I’ve been paying attention to where things “wobble” (technical management term)!
Not in a dramatic way. Nothing is on fire. But in any organization — or family, or board, or team — there are small places where things don’t quite sit right. A decision that gets revisited too often. A process that only works if a certain person is in the room. A conversation that keeps getting deferred because “now isn’t the right time.”
Those are the places I’m thinking about.
Years ago, I would have jumped in and fixed them myself. I was pretty good at that. Still am, if I’m honest. Step in, clarify, smooth it out, move on. The problem is that approach works best when the organization is small, and when the leader has enough energy to keep doing it over and over again.
Neither of those things is true forever.
The Difference Between Helping and Holding
One thing experience has taught me is this: There’s a difference between helping and holding.
Helping is stepping in to solve a problem.
Holding is making sure the problem doesn’t keep coming back in a slightly different form.
Holding requires something less exciting than action. It requires structure.
Clear ownership.
Clear decision paths.
Clear expectations about where something lives and who is responsible for it.
None of that shows up on a stage. But it shows up every day in how much friction people feel just trying to do their work.
A Question I’ve Been Asking Myself
Here’s a question I’ve been asking more often:
“What is this depending on that shouldn’t be?”
If something only works because:
- one person remembers it,
- one leader intervenes,
- or one informal workaround exists,
then it’s fragile. And fragile things eventually break, usually at the worst possible time.
Strong organizations aren’t built on heroics. They’re built on things that work even when someone is out sick, on vacation, or no longer in the role.
This Has Changed How I Lead
If I’m honest, this shift hasn’t been entirely comfortable for me.
It’s tempting to stay indispensable. It feels good to be the person people come to. But being needed everywhere is not the same thing as leading well. In fact, over time, it can become a liability — for both the leader and the organization.
These days, I’m more focused on:
- designing clearer lanes,
- slowing decisions just enough to get them right,
- and making sure the system carries the load instead of a person.
That doesn’t mean less care. It means more intention.
Why This Matters
When things are held well:
- people move with more confidence,
- fewer decisions feel personal,
- and the organization has room to grow without adding unnecessary stress.
That’s good for teams.
It’s good for boards.
And ultimately, it’s good for the people we serve.
That’s what’s been on my mind lately — not big speeches or bold declarations, but the quiet work of making things steady. Because when things are steady, people can do their best work.
And that’s always been the point.
