As a leader, your day can be a constant stream of fires to put out. When a deadline is missed or a quality standard slips, your instinct is likely to react. But before you send that email or call that meeting, I want you to pause and ask one diagnostic question:
“Am I frustrated with the process, or the person responsible?”
This is the foundation of what my friend and author John Harney calls “situational fluency” in his book Lead. Manage. WIN! If you can’t tell the difference between a broken system and a leadership gap, you’ll end up treating every problem with the same blunt instrument. The result? Micromanaged employees, broken processes, and a perpetually exhausted executive.
The Systems Trap
If your frustration is rooted in the “how,” you’re likely facing a management issue. Management is about ensuring the process works. It is the science of execution, checklists, and flow.
Many leaders fall into the trap of attacking the person when the system is actually the culprit. When you blame a person for a process failure, you damage the culture and leave the root cause unaddressed. If the system is broken, no amount of “visionary leadership” will fix the output. You need to roll up your sleeves and manage the mechanics.
The People Priority
If the process is sound but the performance is lacking, you are facing a leadership issue. This is a heart issue, not a spreadsheet issue. Leadership is the art of influence and development.
The biggest mistake I see in my coaching practice is the “one-size-fits-all” approach. Executives often try to “manage” a human heart with a technical process. You cannot manage someone into being more motivated or loyal; you must lead them there. This requires a customized approach that considers the individual’s strengths, fears, and potential.
Escaping the “Weeds”
For many leaders who rose through the ranks, the “weeds” of management feel like home. It’s familiar territory. But to lead effectively, you must ask: “Can someone else do this?” If the answer is yes, you must delegate. If the answer is no, you may need to jump in—but only long enough to train someone else to take it over. Staying at a strategic level is critical for your role. If you keep doing the work of a manager, you aren’t strategically leading the organization toward the future.
The 15-Second Pause
Before you react to the first challenge that hits your desk, I encourage you to implement a new habit: The Discernment Pause. Evaluate whether you need to manage a system or lead a person. This small shift in perspective prevents you from reacting out of your “natural zone” and allows you to respond with exactly what the situation requires.
Until next time, make today GREAT!
P.S. Is your leadership feeling “one-size-fits-all”? It’s time to move from the weeds to the high-level strategy your business deserves. I invite you to book a free 30-minute strategy session with me today to learn how to master the discipline of discernment. Visit www.mcclurecoaching.com/free-strategy-session for a free call where we’ll map out your next best step.
P.P.S. I’d love to connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, where I share more leadership tips.
