One of my leadership team members is highly protective of their department, consistently presenting green metrics and optimistic updates even though we all know their team is struggling and missing deadlines. How do I get them to stop managing their status and start being vulnerable with the peer group?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a leader hides their department's struggles behind green metrics, it is a clear sign of low safety. They are practicing status management because they fear that admitting failure will lead to humiliation or loss of authority. To break this defensive posture, you must build safety through vulnerability.

As the owner, you must model this behavior first. During your next Level 10 Meeting™, openly share a mistake you made or an area where you are personally struggling. When they see you admitting weakness without facing negative consequences, they will begin to let down their guard.

Next, review your measurables and Scorecard. If a leader's department is struggling but their metrics are green, you are measuring the wrong things. Work with them to redefine their weekly measurables so they accurately reflect the health of their department. If project deadlines are being missed, make sure there is a clear, objective scorecard metric that tracks those deadlines.

Finally, address the behavior in a private one on one session. Use the GWC™ framework and your core values. Explain that hiding issues is a violation of trust and is holding the team back from helping them. Make it clear that on your leadership team, a red metric is not a failure, it is simply an issue to be solved together during IDS®. Once they realize that identifying problems is rewarded rather than punished, they will stop defending their status and start collaborating.