What happens when someone on your team falls short of the standard, but you also understand exactly why?

In this episode of our Managing Leadership Tensions series, Ryan explores one of the hardest balances in frontline leadership: holding a high bar without losing sight of the human being trying to reach it. We look at why leaders tend to drift toward one of two extremes under pressure: becoming the Enforcer who protects the standard at the expense of the person, or the Peacemaker who protects the person by quietly lowering the standard.

Drawing from research on psychological safety, empathy, expectations, and human cooperation, Ryan makes the case that great leadership requires both. The standard stays high, and you stay beside the person trying to meet it.

Research & ideas referenced:

James Suzman’s anthropological work on hunter-gatherer societies and the Ju/’hoansi; Google’s Project Aristotle and psychological safety; Laszlo Bock’s Work Rules!; the Pygmalion and Golem Effects and the impact of leader expectations; research on empathic distress and empathy’s “spotlight” effect; and Cal Newport’s work on reactivity and attention under pressure.