The Pressure Interface: How I Learned to Stop Overprotecting My Executive Team
Leadership rarely fails from incompetence. It fails from misalignment under pressure, especially at the executive level. I once believed that absorbing pressure was part of my role to clear the way for others to perform effectively. But over time, I realized that shielding people too much weakens them and weakens the organization.
The real problem isn’t pressure. It’s the interface.
Every CEO feels pressure. From the board. From shareholders. From the market. That’s not new. What’s less discussed is how that pressure travels through the organization. The challenge is not managing stress; it’s managing the transition point between strategic intent and operational execution. That’s where the real heat lives. And too often, leaders try to protect their teams from it instead of equipping them for it.
Two levels of thinking, one point of failure.
At the operational level, responsibilities are clear. The CFO handles financial execution. The COO oversees processes. The Chief Commercial Officer drives contracts. These roles function well when each leader owns their domain.
But strategy is different. It lives above the task list. It lives in ambiguity, across silos, where roles blur and outcomes depend on mutual contribution. This is where executive pressure spikes. And this is where I used to intervene too often.
In trying to carry the weight alone, I unconsciously weakened the strategic interface between myself and my team. I created a dependency. Instead of empowering them to carry the load, I took it on myself. I believed I was supporting them. But in doing so, I may have limited their growth.
Where the cracks begin
During periods of stability, this overprotection isn’t always visible. However, during integration, post-merger environments, or moments of strategic acceleration, it becomes apparent. Teams change. Cultures collide. Power dynamics shift. And unless your executive team is both functional and symbiotic, the cracks deepen fast.
I’ve seen this in real time. A merger where only one side’s leaders stayed. An integration plan was launched before cultural alignment. A top-line growth surge distracted from the need for alignment. These aren’t theoretical failures; they are very real risks. And they are amplified when leaders don’t create shared accountability at the top.
From power play to pressure dialogue.
Executives don’t just need authority; they need permission to pressure each other productively. That’s what builds a functioning leadership team. Not harmony, but interdependence. Not uniformity, but clarity of contribution.
I’ve learned to spend time early defining what each executive owns strategically, not just functionally. I ask each: “What is your unique strategic contribution?” And then: “What do you need from others to deliver it?” This doesn’t eliminate tension. It structures it.
What may appear externally as a power dynamic is often a misaligned pressure interface. Without dialogue, pressure becomes passive aggression or avoidance. With it, pressure becomes propulsion.
Why overprotection is dangerous.
The temptation to shield your team is strongest when the stakes are high. But this is precisely when distributed ownership is most essential. When I overprotect, I also remove the learning process. And I reduce the team’s capacity to withstand future challenges.
Resilient executive teams are not the result of heroic leadership alone. They’re built through clarity, expectation, and trust, not comfort. Especially in fast-moving, post-merger environments where integration is not just a plan, but a daily negotiation between legacies.
The paradox of early success.
One of the most dangerous signals during integration is the illusion of early success. When revenue rises or projects move fast, it’s tempting to assume all is well. However, if synergy and culture are not evolving underneath, you’re stacking short-term wins on top of long-term instability. I’ve seen that danger firsthand.
When growth conceals fragility, leadership must reinforce structural alignment. Otherwise, you’re scaling a fracture.
Actionable takeaways for CEOs and executive teams
Map the pressure points early
Identify where board expectations, investor goals, and team capacity intersect and where they clash.Shift from shielding to equipping.
Stop carrying pressure alone. Invite your team into it. Build rituals that create space for shared strategic tension.Define strategic contribution explicitly.
Ask each executive not just what they own, but how they advance the strategy and what dependencies they have.Balance structure with empathy
Cultural integration is not a spreadsheet. It’s a slow stitching together of trust. Treat it as such.Beware of early success.
Growth without alignment is not a win; it’s a warning. Build for resilience, not just for pace.
If you want a high-performing executive team, stop protecting them from pressure. Shape it with them. The real leadership test is not whether you can carry the weight; it’s whether your team can carry it together.
Because in the end, pressure doesn’t destroy teams. Misalignment does.
François Jacquemin
P.S.: Want to watch the video version of this article? Go to https://www.francoisjacquemin.com/covered/how-i-begin-leading-when-i-take-over-as-ceo