This Counterintuitive Leadership Tip Could Transform Your Team

If you’ve spent any time in leadership training over the past decade, you’ve probably been told to delegate more, empower your team, and stay out of the weeds.  

That advice isn’t wrong, but it’s no longer enough.

In fact, with remote and hybrid teams, one of the most effective things a leader can do is the exact opposite:

Go Where the Tension Is

That’s right. Sometimes the best way to lead isn’t from a distance. It’s up close, inside the friction, shoulder-to-shoulder with your people.

One Size No Longer Fits All

In the past, leaders could get away with applying the same management style across their team. Today? Not a chance.

The remote and hybrid work environment has exposed just how differently people work, think, communicate, and respond to pressure. And if you want to bring out the best in each team member, you need to know them:

What motivates them?

• Where do they need support?

• What kind of communication builds trust with them?

• Do they feel seen and heard by their leader?

These aren’t soft questions. They’re strategic. Because high-performing teams aren’t built with cookie-cutter leadership. They’re built with intentional, individualized connection.

Covid Changed the Rules And the Playbook

In times of confusion, people don’t need detachment. They need presence.

The same holds true in business. When your team is struggling, clients are frustrated, or operations are breaking down, don’t sit back. Lean in:

• Join the hard conversations.

• Understand the obstacles first-hand.

• Co-create solutions instead of just assigning them.

This isn’t micromanaging. It’s situational leadership, knowing when to coach from the sidelines and when to step onto the field.

Leadership Now is About Being Adaptive, Attentive, Present

The leaders who are winning today are those who:

• Adapt their style to meet each team member where they are

• Recognize when to get involved and when to pull back

• Go where the tension is — not to control, but to clarify and support

This approach might feel counterintuitive. It pushes against the idea that “good leadership” is always hands-off. But the truth is, your team doesn’t need you to hover. They need you to care.

They need to know that when things get hard, you’ll show up. You’ll ask questions. You’ll work alongside them to find the way forward.

What This Means for Sales and Operations Leaders

In the building products industry and beyond, tension is part of the territory — supply chain disruptions, pricing pressures, client demands, shifting team dynamics.

If you’re a sales leader, ops manager, or executive, one of the most impactful things you can do is ask:
Where is the friction right now, and how can I be present in it?

Presence Over Perfection

True leadership isn’t about always having the answers. It’s about showing up in the hard places, asking the right questions, and walking through challenges with your team.

At The Bridger Group, we place forward-thinking sales managers and executive leaders who know when to delegate — and when to dive in.

Looking for a leader who leads with presence? Let’s connect.

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