Build for Load
Most leaders focus on fixing what’s broken. Few invest deeply in strengthening what is already working.
Most of my readers will recognize the use of “the body” as a metaphor for the Church (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4).
Metaphors, analogies, and illustrations help us make sense of the world.
In organizational leadership, we often borrow from sports, the military, or even architecture. Teams. Chains. Foundations. Engines. But today, I want to stay with the body.
With recent injuries in my household, I have been reminded how easy it is to take healthy function for granted. When things are working as they should, we feel virtually nothing.
Maybe some fatigue after a long day. But pain? Pain is what really gets our attention.
My left knee has had some level of pain for over a year now. It has moved from a 6 to a 2, but I feel it every single day. It draws attention.
My right knee? Flawless. I don’t feel it at all.
And when we don’t feel something, it’s understandably easy to ignore it. To assume it will always be there. To invest little, if anything, into maintaining its strength.
But here is the reality…
Do you know what I rely on more than ever right now when my left knee hurts?
My right knee.
It is carrying more than it was designed to carry. It is compensating. Adjusting. Taking on additional burden because another part of the system is compromised.
And it is not just my right knee. It is my hips. My back. My core. My entire body is being called upon to support the weakness of one part.
Which leads to today’s question:
What happens if something breaks and the remainder of the system isn’t strong enough to carry that load?
That is where things begin to break down.
Let’s translate that into your organization.
Every business has “injuries.” A key leader exits unexpectedly. A system fails under pressure. A department underperforms. A market shifts. A major client walks away.
These moments are not hypothetical. They are inevitable.
And when they happen, most leaders go immediately into fix-it mode. Diagnose the issue. Repair the damage. Replace the broken part.
That work matters. It is necessary. But it’s not sufficient.
Because the true test of organizational health is not simply whether you can fix what is broken. It is whether the rest of the organization is strong enough to carry the load in the meantime.
Can other leaders step up and absorb responsibility?
Can your systems flex without collapsing?
Can your culture withstand the strain without turning on itself?
In other words… is the rest of the body strong?
This is where many organizations fall short. Not because they invest too much in their strongest people, but because they assume those people will be fine without intentional support.
High-capacity leaders. High performers. The ones who “always figure it out.” They become the organizational equivalent of the healthy knee.
Reliable. Consistent. Quietly carrying more than their share. And because they are not complaining… because they are producing… because they seem strong…
They are often overlooked.
Left to sustain themselves on their own energy.
Asked to carry more, but rarely strengthened for the increased load.
Here in lies the risk.
The very leaders you depend on the most are often the ones you are developing the least.
And over time, even the strongest parts of the system begin to feel the strain. Fatigue sets in. Frustration builds. Capacity erodes. Not because they were weak, but because they were not supported well.
Healthy organizations see this differently. They recognize that their greatest opportunity – and their greatest risk – often resides in their strongest leaders.
So they invest there. Intentionally. Consistently. They coach their high performers, not just their struggling ones. They challenge them to grow, not just to produce. They create margin for them to develop, not just deliver.
Because they understand a simple but critical truth:
The future of the organization will be carried by those who have the capacity to carry more.
And when those leaders are strong, supported, and continually developed, the entire body benefits.
Because when the inevitable “injury” comes, there are people ready. Not just to survive it, but to carry the load.
Where are you under-investing because things seem to be working?
It’s easy to focus on what is broken. It takes discipline and foresight to strengthen what is not.
But that’s the work. Because when the next “injury” comes – and it will – your organization will not rise to the occasion.
It will fall to the level of its preparation.
And in that moment, you will discover whether you have built something that is merely functional, or something truly built to carry the load.
Blessings to you, my friends!
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This Week’s Resource Recommendation:
"Multipliers, Revised and Updated: Unlocking The Secrets of Effective Leadership to Maximize Team Potential"
- Liz Wiseman
From Amazon: We’ve all had experience with two dramatically different types of leaders. The first type drains intelligence, energy, and capability from the people around them and always needs to be the smartest person in the room. These are the idea killers, the energy sappers, the diminishers of talent and commitment. On the other side of the spectrum are leaders who use their intelligence to amplify the smarts and capabilities of the people around them. When these leaders walk into a room, light bulbs go off over people’s heads; ideas flow and problems get solved. These are the leaders who inspire employees to stretch themselves, boosting employee engagement to deliver results that surpass expectations. These are the Multipliers. And the world needs more of them, especially now when leaders are expected to do more with less.
In this engaging and highly practical book, leadership development expert Liz Wiseman explores these two leadership styles, persuasively showing how Multipliers can have a resoundingly positive and profitable effect on organizations―getting more done with fewer resources, developing and attracting talent, and cultivating new ideas and energy to drive organizational change and innovation.
In analyzing data from more than 150 leaders, Wiseman has identified five disciplines that distinguish Multipliers from Diminishers. These five disciplines are not based on innate talent; indeed, they are skills and practices that everyone can learn to use―even lifelong and recalcitrant Diminishers. Lively, real-world case studies and practical management tips and techniques bring to life each of these principles, showing you how to become a Multiplier too, whether you are a new or an experienced manager. This revered classic on talent management has been updated with new examples of Multipliers, as well as two new chapters one on accidental Diminishers, and one on how to deal with Diminishers.
Just imagine what you could accomplish if you could harness all the energy and intelligence around you. Multipliers will show you how.
Inside this revised and updated edition, you’ll discover the framework to amplify your team’s intelligence:
· Team Leadership Styles: Learn to identify the key differences between “Diminishers” who drain intelligence and “Multipliers” who amplify it to get exponentially better results.
· The Five Disciplines: Master the five practical, learnable skills―from attracting talent to instilling accountability―that all Multipliers use to make their teams smarter and more capable.
· Boosting Team Productivity: Uncover strategies to do more with less, cultivate energy and innovation, and drive organizational change by harnessing the full intelligence of your people.
· The Accidental Diminisher: Explore all-new chapters that reveal how even well-intentioned managers can accidentally stifle their teams and learn practical ways to deal with Diminishers.
MMS 26-18
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