Close the Umbrella

Why Being an 'Umbrella Manager' Won't Protect Anyone When the Storm Hits

Lately, I've noticed a lot of LinkedIn posts explaining why great managers should act as umbrellas or shields. This idea describes a management style in which leaders or managers shield their teams from unnecessary distractions and pressures from higher-ups, allowing their employees to focus on their work.

Even when I interview engineering managers and ask them about their leadership style, I keep hearing this metaphor, like an unquestionable management "good practice." That's why I've been reflecting on it these days, and I've realized that I'm not a fan of this management approach. This realization has inspired me to write this post.

Storytime: When Shielding My Team Backfired

Many years ago, I led a team of talented engineers working on an exciting project. By that time, I had minimal experience as a manager. We were all passionate about the project and fully committed to its success.

However, things took a turn when a new senior leader called me into his office and threatened to cancel the project if we couldn't provide a hard deadline. Knowing that the team needed more time to work out the complexities, I decided not to share this threat with them to keep their morale up.

I thought I was protecting the team by not sharing the whole situation with them, but the team was devastated when the new senior leader canceled the project. They felt blindsided and asked why I hadn't informed them about the situation. I realized that I had denied them the opportunity to adapt and potentially salvage the project by not being transparent about the stakes. My attempt to protect them had backfired, leaving them disillusioned with the project and me.

In retrospect, I learned that authentic leadership necessitates transparency and honesty, even when conveying complex or difficult truths that may be challenging to accept.

The Positivity Delusion

Another pitfall associated with "umbrella management" is what can be termed the "Positivity Delusion." This occurs when managers, to maintain high morale, shield their teams from all negative information and project an overly optimistic view of the situation. While fostering a positive work environment is essential, ignoring or downplaying real challenges can lead to complacency and a lack of preparedness. Teams operating under this delusion may be blindsided by issues they were unaware of, resulting in panic and hasty decision-making when problems inevitably surface, such as when a storm hits.

One of the best books I recommend for founders, entrepreneurs, and leaders is "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz. In that book, Ben said that his most significant personal improvement as CEO occurred when he stopped being overly positive.

Whether you run a company or lead an organization, you will face overwhelming psychological pressure to maintain a consistently positive outlook. True resilience doesn't come from constant positivity but from acknowledging difficulties and collaboratively developing strategies to overcome them. By confronting reality together, teams build trust and are better equipped to handle whatever comes their way.

I thought that I would make the problem worse by transferring that burden to my employees. Instead, I thought I should project a positive, sunny demeanor and rally the unburdened troops to victory. I was completely wrong.

— Ben Horowitz, CEOs Should Tell It Like It Is

The Good: Focus, Safety and Boundaries

In theory, the umbrella is a noble concept. The manager stands tall, umbrella aloft, protecting their diligent engineers from distractions, bureaucratic red tape, and the whimsical demands of upper management. That allows the team to focus on what they do best: engineering marvels that will change the world—or at least not crash every time someone clicks a button. It can be an excellent short-term practice for the following reasons:

1. Focus on Productivity: Protecting the team from chaos allows them to focus on high-priority tasks and remain productive. It also fosters a better work environment by reducing stress.

2. Psychological Safety: When team members know their manager will protect them from external pressures, they are more likely to feel psychologically safe.

3. Healthy Boundary Management: Managers can act as a filter for information from upper management, ensuring that only relevant issues reach the team and preventing overload from irrelevant concerns.

The Bad: Dependency, Stagnation and Burnout

In practice, over-shielding can lead to different issues. Some managers become overbearing gatekeepers to protect their teams, filtering out the bad and necessary. Critical feedback, strategic shifts, and valuable insights get lost in the abyss of managerial overreach. The team becomes isolated, blissfully unaware that they're sailing toward an iceberg because Captain Umbrella didn't consider it worth mentioning. Here are the top potential downsides:

1. Dependency: Constantly shielding the team can create a paternalistic dynamic where the manager takes on excessive responsibility for protecting them from challenges, leading to dependency and lack of ownership and autonomy.

2. Stifled Growth: If team members are too insulated, they may miss learning opportunities or fail to develop the resilience needed to handle challenging situations. Letting them face a degree of adversity helps develop problem-solving skills.

3. Burnout for the Manager: Absorbing too much negativity without distributing or managing it can lead to burnout. Managers must find ways to offload or deal with these pressures, not just contain them indefinitely.

The Ugly: The Three T's.

I have been fortunate to work in environments where transparency is a core value, and there is minimal toxicity, although no workplace is perfect. In addition, I have always prioritized trust in my management relationships, which has proven invaluable in handling challenging situations.

I might be biased due to my personal experience. Still, I believe that if a manager constantly has to protect their team from that negativity, it could signal deeper cultural issues within the organization, a poor management style, or even worse, both. I refer to these issues as the three T's: lack of Transparency, lack of Trust, and a Toxic environment.

1. Lack of Transparency

When managers consistently shield their teams from critical information, they create a veil of secrecy that hinders understanding and alignment. This lack of transparency means team members are unaware of the broader context in which they operate—the organizational goals, the challenges ahead, or changes in direction. Without clear insight into these areas, employees can't fully engage with their work or contribute meaningfully to the organization's success. Transparency is essential for fostering a sense of ownership and accountability within the team.

2. Lack of Trust

The "umbrella" approach inherently suggests a lack of trust in the team's ability to handle difficult situations or information. By filtering or withholding important details, managers imply that their team members are incapable of processing or responding appropriately to challenges. This paternalistic attitude can be demoralizing, as it underestimates the team's professionalism and resilience. Trust is foundational to any effective workplace; collaboration and open communication deteriorate.

3. Toxic Environment

Poor transparency and trust issues often create a toxic work environment. When employees feel they're not told the whole story, suspicion and skepticism can take root. This atmosphere can increase stress, reduce morale, and decrease overall job satisfaction. A toxic environment doesn't just affect individual well-being; it impedes teamwork, stifles creativity, and can result in high turnover rates. In such settings, the problems the umbrella was supposed to mitigate are amplified instead.

Recognizing and addressing these three T's is crucial. Leaders can create a healthier work environment where teams are better equipped to face challenges collectively and effectively by promoting transparency, building trust, and eliminating toxic behaviors.

When to Open Your Umbrella

Despite all this, shielding the team can be beneficial in specific situations where protecting the team is necessary to maintain focus and morale. Here are some critical cases where I would use it:

1. Unnecessary Distractions: When external issues (such as office politics, irrelevant upper-management pressure, or non-critical information) threaten to derail the team's focus, the manager should shield them to prevent distractions and allow them to focus on their work.

2. Counterproductive Feedback: If feedback or criticism from higher-ups is overly harsh, misinformed, or irrelevant to the team's actual performance, the manager can act as a buffer to prevent damage to morale and confidence.

3. Unrealistic Expectations: When upper management sets unreasonable deadlines or goals, the manager may need to protect the team by negotiating realistic expectations, shielding them from the pressure of unattainable targets while keeping them motivated and on track.

4. Transition Periods: During organizational restructuring, layoffs, or uncertain changes, the manager might shield the team from anxiety-inducing information until there is clear direction. This prevents unnecessary stress before anything is finalized.

5. Crisis Management: If the company or project is going through a temporary crisis that the team cannot influence (e.g., budget cuts, external partnerships falling through), the manager can absorb the stress while ensuring the team focuses on what they can control.

Striking the Right Balance

The key is for managers to use the umbrella judiciously. It's not about keeping the team in the dark but about ensuring that the information they receive is relevant, actionable, and delivered in a way that empowers rather than overwhelms them. Effective managers always discern what to filter and share to support their team's success and well-being.

By opening the umbrella when appropriate, managers can protect their teams from unnecessary stress and distractions, allowing them to focus on what they do best. It's about creating a work environment where challenges are acknowledged but not debilitating and where the team feels supported yet fully engaged with the realities of their projects.

Final Thoughts

Managers often see themselves as shields, intending to protect and support their teams. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. However, this "shield" or "umbrella" can sometimes do more harm than good despite their good intentions.

A transparent and collaborative management style avoids these pitfalls and contributes to a healthier, more productive work environment. It's time to put away the umbrella and face the challenges together. Preparing your team for the storm may be the best thing you can do for their career and your own.

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