If You Can’t Be a Bridge, Be a Lighthouse
Guiding with Clarity and Resilience Through Uncertain Times
Last week, I shared my thoughts on the importance of being a bridge builder within our organizations. However, what do we do when, despite our best efforts, we can’t connect all the dots? In these situations, we must act as a lighthouse, a beacon of guidance and clarity, guiding our team through the fog of uncertainty. This role is not just a fallback but a crucial part of leadership that provides reassurance and confidence to our teams.
Let me share the inspiration behind the title of this post. It was a quote from Jefferson Fisher in Mel Robbins’ podcast episode “Communicate with Confidence” that I stumbled upon while listening to a few communication podcasts this week. This quote deeply resonated with my leadership experiences and sparked the idea for this follow-up post.
If you can’t be a bridge, be a lighthouse.
— Jefferson Fisher
The Importance of Lighthouses
Lighthouses were created to serve as vital navigational aids for sailors, guiding ships safely along coastlines and into harbors. Before modern navigation, mariners used lighthouses to highlight dangerous coastlines, shoals, reefs, and safe port entries. These structures emitted bright light—first from fires or lanterns and later from Fresnel lenses—providing a visual reference visible from afar, especially at night or in bad weather. This helped reduce shipwrecks and enabled safer maritime travel and trade, which was crucial for sea-dependent societies’ economic and cultural growth.
While lighthouses are no longer necessary for navigation in the age of advanced GPS and satellite technology, their symbolic role is more relevant than ever in leadership. As leaders, we must embrace the role of a lighthouse, providing steady guidance, clarity, and support to those we lead. Just as lighthouses once served as beacons in the darkness, a leader’s consistent presence and clear vision can offer direction and confidence to teams facing uncertainty.
Embracing the Lighthouse Role in Engineering Leadership
Being a lighthouse isn’t about direct involvement in every detail; it’s about standing firm, providing steady guidance, and offering reassurance when challenges arise.
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
— John C. Maxwell
Here’s how the traits of a lighthouse apply to real-world challenges faced by engineering leaders—I guarantee I have encountered them all—and how embracing this role can create a lasting impact.
Standing as a Steady Source of Guidance
A lighthouse stands tall, visible, and consistent despite the worst storms. As leaders, there will be times when we can’t bridge every gap or remove every obstacle. Instead, we can focus on being a reliable source of guidance, providing clarity and calm amid change.
Scenario: Navigating Organizational Change
Imagine your team is facing a major organizational restructuring. Reporting lines are shifting, and team roles are being redefined. Although you can’t control every change, you can still be a lighthouse by providing a sense of continuity. Communicate regularly about what remains constant in the team’s mission and encourage open dialogue about the transition. By demonstrating calmness and sharing updates as they become available, you help your team see the path forward and build confidence in the new structure, providing a sense of security and stability.
Key Leadership Trait: Reliability and Transparency.
Illuminating the Path Forward
While a bridge provides a direct connection, a lighthouse lights up the horizon, guiding ships without steering them. Leaders can adopt this role by helping their teams see the bigger picture, even when the day-to-day path may be complex or uncertain.
Scenario: Encouraging Ownership in Ambiguous Projects
Consider a scenario where your team works on a project with loosely defined requirements. The ambiguity is frustrating for engineers who prefer clear, structured goals. As a lighthouse, you can help by clearly defining the project’s objectives and encouraging team members to break down features into manageable tasks. Instead of micromanaging, allow the team to experiment and learn, guiding them through each stage. By providing a sense of direction without dictating every detail, you empower them to navigate ambiguity confidently, fostering a culture of empowerment and respect.
Key Leadership Trait: Vision and Purpose.
Building Trust and Providing Autonomy
Just as a lighthouse offers guidance without steering the ship, leaders can build trust by empowering their team with autonomy. This approach fosters independence while reinforcing that team members have the support they need to make informed decisions. Trusting your team to manage their responsibilities and make choices within their roles leads to a culture where people feel confident and respected.
Scenario: Supporting a Team Member Facing Performance Challenges
Suppose you have a team member struggling with performance. Instead of stepping in to control every aspect, be a lighthouse by building trust and providing them with autonomy. Set clear expectations and provide resources that empower them to improve while offering constructive feedback and space to take ownership of their progress. Your consistent support and belief in their potential demonstrate that you trust them to grow, creating an environment where they feel safe to make decisions and develop their skills.
Key Leadership Trait: Trust and Autonomy.
Being a Beacon of Resilience and Positivity
A lighthouse is a beacon of resilience in challenging moments—a steady presence that reassures sailors they’re on the right path. As leaders, we can adopt this role by modeling positivity and focusing on solutions, even when the future seems uncertain. This approach doesn’t deny the difficulties but emphasizes confidently moving forward.
Scenario: Leading Through a Product Pivot
Imagine the company decides to pivot its product direction, abandoning projects your team has invested in. This change can be disheartening, as it requires letting go of hard work. While you may not be able to preserve the projects already underway, you can still act as a lighthouse by framing the pivot as an opportunity for innovation. Remind the team of previous successful pivots and emphasize that this shift opens the door to new ideas and challenges. Your resilience and positive outlook serve as a steadying force, helping the team see the pivot as an exciting new chapter rather than a setback.
Key Leadership Trait: Resilience and Positivity.
Modeling Integrity and Consistency
Lighthouses shine consistently every night, unaffected by external factors. In leadership, this consistency translates to integrity—aligning words and actions to build credibility and trust.
Scenario: Maintaining Morale During a Hiring Freeze
Consider a situation where the team is stretched thin, but a hiring freeze prevents bringing in additional talent. Morale is low, and team members are feeling the pressure. While you can’t solve the staffing issue directly, you can be a steady, supportive presence by openly acknowledging the workload and expressing appreciation for everyone’s effort. Show your team that you’re advocating for manageable project scopes and encouraging process improvements that can ease their burden. By remaining consistent in your support and reliable actions, you reinforce the team’s trust and help them feel valued, even under challenging circumstances.
Key Leadership Trait: Integrity and Consistency.
Final Thoughts
Throughout my leadership journey, I have realized that there will be times when one cannot build every bridge, solve every problem, or remove every obstacle. In those moments, we can be like a lighthouse—standing firm, shining brightly, and providing steady guidance and encouragement for our teams.
By embodying the traits of a lighthouse, we become a consistent source of support, helping our teams navigate through ambiguity, change, and challenges.
So, when you can’t be a bridge, be a lighthouse. Trust that your presence, values, and guidance will help your team navigate the waters ahead, leading them safely to their goals, no matter how challenging the journey may be.
Thank you for reading The Engineering Leader.
If you liked this article, don't forget to hit ❤️ and share it with others who may like it.
Subscribe so you don't miss any future editions.