What happens to your most valuable employees when you "stay out of the way" and let them drown?
You probably think, ‘I give them the space to do what they do best,’ but the reality is vastly different.
Once upon a time, a senior human resources manager shared with me an odd piece of information:
“Water flows to the lowest point.”
I did not comprehend what was being said, but I nodded nicely. After several years, I finally got what he was trying to say.
Work has a peculiar way of finding you when you are superior to others in getting things done—when you are smarter, faster, or more driven. Like water, it flows to the "lowest point," the individual who can achieve outcomes.
It appears to be a compliment. Do you agree? The most capable members of your team step forward, ensuring that the wheels continue to turn.
The fact of the matter is that they not only receive their own work, but they also get the tasks of everyone else.
In the end, they perish in the “water”.

What You Cannot See Is the Chaos
When managers "stay out of the way," they often believe they are contributing to the success of their organisations. They delegate key performance indicators (KPIs), set goals, and leave their staff to handle the rest.
"I have faith that my employees will carry out their duties."
It gives off an empowering vibe. This is not the case.
Chaos occurs when you take a step backwards too far. Every department begins to concentrate on its own priorities, and nobody considers the wider picture, which the company genuinely requires.
Almost always, one department "sacrifices" by performing a little bit more labour to make room for savings in another area. However, for such improvements to be feasible, executives must concentrate on the bigger picture rather than assigning hard targets to each department. The high performers in your organisation are the ones who step in and fix problems as they arise, which happens all the time.
This means that while the underachievers quietly survive without breaking a sweat, your finest employees stay late, pick up the pieces, and eventually burn out.
The high-performers are the "lowest point." They drive performance and are a magnet for work.
One Simple Alteration Started a Revolution
I was in charge of operations at a corporation many years ago, and the procurement department was experiencing an overwhelming number of interruptions.
Just picture this:
Every five minutes, someone barge in. "I desperately need this order to be processed!" "This must be done immediately!"
The procurement team was unable to concentrate. Throughout the day, they continued to respond to whoever shouted the loudest and practised Last-In-First-Out due to a lack of overview. Their purchasing tasks, including chasing deliveries and processing orders, were delayed.
It was complete and utter mayhem.
Initially, I imposed a rule. Two "walk-in” time blocks of one hour each are available each day.
Outside of those hours, only colleagues with an appointment were allowed in. I also instructed the buyers to be very selective when accepting meeting requests; only larger or complex purchases warrant reserving time.
Simple, right?
People were furious.
Some engineers and project managers screamed, "How am I supposed to get urgent orders through this way?" and "Everything will move slower!"
I did not waver in my resolve.
One week later, one of the most vocal critics approached me. "You were right," he remarked with a guilty expression.
Before establishing the walk-in hours, he made a dozen procurement trips to communicate one need.
Now, he collects the orders and reviews them with the buyer once a day, saving himself a lot of time as well.
In the meantime, the procurement team regained its concentration. It was faster in sending orders and administering them. There was much less noise, less forgotten work, and, thus, a calmer work environment. Many, many supply issues were averted.
I could have hidden behind my screen, given my team performance targets, and spoken harshly to them when missing orders or deliveries were late, effectively letting the procurement team drown in the whirlpool of orders, changes, and challenges. But it’s a leader’s job to set the environment for their teams to thrive, so I did.
The side effect was that the entire organisation, as well as teams outside of my responsibility, gained efficiency.
Why do leaders need to know?
Here’s what I want you to understand:
The fact that your most valuable employees are drowning is not their fault. It is on you.
It is not your responsibility to "stay out of the way." Instead, you should take the lead and actively drive productivity.
Take action and:
• Ensure that all of the company's priorities align.
• Put a stop to the noise and the interruptions today.
• Fixing broken processes will allow people to perform their duties effectively.
Management is not about watching from the sidelines and evaluating key performance indicators. Leaders need to know how to remove obstacles so their team can operate more efficiently rather than working harder.
Also, monitor the workload of your top performers closely. They attract work, and you must protect them. Otherwise, you will lose them to burnout or the competition.
Stop the water flowing to the lowest point!
Are You Prepared to Take Command?
I've witnessed it happen. "Walk-in hours are one example of a modification that can completely revolutionise a company.
But you must be willing to take the initiative. Instead of hiding behind the phrase "I trust my team,” join your team in the trenches, get your hands ‘dirty’ and lead.
Let’s talk if you are sick and tired of witnessing your most talented employees suffocate under the burden of everyone else's job or if you have no idea if they are drowning; I assure you, they most likely are.
I help businesses like yours cut through the chaos, align their teams, and deliver results. Fast.
No fluff. No endless meetings. Just better systems and smarter work.
Book a call. Let’s fix this—together.
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