Where is Your Team Guessing?

What if your team isn’t overwhelmed because they have too much work? What if they’re overwhelmed by the guessing? Welcome to The Leadership Reset, a four-part series about what you carry, what you choose, what you pursue, and how you stay engaged. In Part 1, I'm starting with the issue I see most in the leaders I coach: ambiguity. I once inherited a team that looked like it had a workload problem. Deadlines were slipping, work was overlapping, people were waiting on each other, and the finger pointing had started. The obvious fix was to ask for more resources. Instead, I stepped away from my desk. What happened next is the heart of this episode.We also dig into new research featured in Harvard Business Review on the three kinds of role stress, and why workload may not be the one weighing on your team the most.You can't simply hire smart people, tell them to figure it out, and then judge the outcome. Clarity is your job. When your team knows what is expected, they finally have room to do their best work. That is where JOY at work starts. JOY is the strategy.3 Key Takeaways1. Your team may not have a workload problem. When people look stressed, our instinct can be to move work around, add resources, or suggest time off. But role ambiguity and competing priorities can be just as damaging as having too much work.2. Clear direction is a leadership responsibility. You can’t tell smart, capable people to simply “figure it out” and then judge them when they make a decision without the information they needed. Leaders need to own the direction, expectations, priorities, and decision-making.3. You have to slow down to speed up. The thinking work may not be visible, but it is essential. When you protect time to get clear, map responsibilities, define priorities, and decide what matters, your team can execute faster and with greater confidence.🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:"Research: Work Stress Isn't Always About Workload" by Gargi Sawhney and Mallory McCord, Harvard Business Review, September 2026: https://hbr.org/2026/09/research-work-stress-isnt-always-about-workloadRole overload, role conflict, and role ambiguity: the three types of role stressKobe Bryant's line, "You have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light.”The Five-Mile Walk – Lori’s personal example of stepping away from the noise, moving her body, and using that space to map out her team’s roles and responsibilities. ✨ Reflection Prompts:Where is my team guessing right now?When did I last make time for the thinking work my leadership role requires?What is one thing I’ve been keeping big because committing feels risky?Who owns what, who decides, and what does good actually look like?What priorities do I need to make crystal clear for my team? 🧠 Who This Episode Is For:CEOs, executives, and leaders managing teamsManagers whose teams seem overwhelmed, stuck, or unclearLeaders dealing with missed deadlines, duplicated work, or unclear ownershipLeaders who want their teams to move from guessing and waiting to confident executionHigh-achieving leaders who need to make more space for strategic thinkingAnyone who wants to create more clarity, confidence, and joy at work 📩 Want to Go Deeper?Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.comExplore Lori’s coaching, community, and retreats at loripine.com 🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast ⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show 📲 Share this episode with a leader who needs a little more clarity—and a little less guessing.