Newsletter #32. When Great People Pull in Different Directions
Peak Performance Leader Newsletter - Issue 32
When Great People Pull in Different Directions
One of the hardest realities for a leader is this: you can have talented, committed people on your team - and still feel like the organization isn’t moving forward.
It’s not because they lack skill or heart. It’s because their energy is pulling in different directions. Like a rowing crew out of rhythm, the boat still moves, but slowly, unevenly, and with far more effort than necessary.
The result? Leaders end up carrying the weight that should be shared.
The Subtle Signs
A team pulling in different directions doesn’t always look unhealthy on the surface. In fact, the busyness can make it seem like a lot is getting done. But beneath the surface, small fractures grow:
Priorities clash between departments or individuals.
Meetings cover the same ground without real change.
Projects stall as people chase different definitions of success.
The leader steps in more often, just to keep momentum alive.
Over time, this doesn’t just slow progress - it drains the leader’s energy and robs the team of the joy that comes from moving together.
Why It Happens
Teams don’t usually splinter because of poor talent or bad intentions. Without a shared vision and a simple, actionable plan, people will default to their own best judgment. And when every person or department follows their own sense of direction, even great people end up rowing against each other.
The Cost to Leaders
When this happens, leaders become the glue holding everything together. Instead of leading forward, you spend your energy patching cracks, resolving tensions, and repeating what you thought was already clear.
And the irony is this: the more the leader steps in to keep things moving, the less the team learns to row in rhythm on their own. The cycle repeats, heavier every time.
Getting Back in Rhythm
The answer isn’t more rowing power. It’s rhythm, clarity, and unity. When people are aligned around a compelling mission and a practical plan, energy multiplies. The team pulls together, the leader is freed to lead, and progress accelerates.
That kind of rhythm doesn’t just appear. It has to be built - and rebuilt - with intention.
That’s why I created the Clear Path Masterclass. On September 22–23, I’ll walk a group of purpose-driven leaders through a reset process designed to:
Reestablish clarity of mission and direction.
Align people around shared goals.
Build a simple 90-day plan that keeps everyone moving together.
Because no leader should have to carry the weight of an organization rowing in different directions.
Your Invitation
If you’re tired of watching great people work hard without moving forward together, this is your opportunity to reset the rhythm.
👉 Learn more and Register for the Clear Path Masterclass – Sept. 22–23
