The Leadership Multiverse Problem

You ever feel like you’re leading a team in a multiverse? Like every manager and direct report is operating in a slightly different reality—some fully locked into the company’s strategy, others off in an alternate dimension where their passion projects have nothing to do with the broader goals? If so, you’re not alone, I’ve heard this from leaders in the last week:

"I want to encourage innovative thinking on my team, but sometimes I feel like I’m constantly redirecting people back to what actually matters."

"It’s tough when you have high performers who are incredibly passionate—but about the wrong things. How do you guide them back without stifling their enthusiasm?"

The Leadership Multiverse Problem

One of the most complex challenges for leaders today—especially those managing new-generation managers or remote teams—is ensuring everyone is deeply connected to the WHY behind their work. When we do this well, our teams move with purpose, rowing in the same direction, energized by a shared vision. But let’s be real—how often is that actually happening?

The reality is far messier. Why? Because:

1. Leaders themselves must be fully bought into the strategy. If you’re unclear on how your team’s work ladders up to the big picture, how can you expect your people to feel aligned?
2. Employees are humans, not cogs. They have varying levels of interest in company priorities and sometimes get passionate about projects that veer off course.

This is where the multiverse problem kicks in. Picture your company’s strategy as the throughline—a steady, unbroken thread guiding the organization forward. Your employees? They are the branching universes. Some stay close to the throughline, innovating in ways that reinforce the core mission. Others wander too far, spinning off into unproductive or misaligned efforts. And our job as leaders? To gently but firmly bring those folks back, without killing their ambition or enthusiasm.

The Balancing Act: Saying “Yes, And…” While Holding the Strategy Line

Great leaders don’t just shut down off-track ideas. Instead, they apply a Performance-Based Leadership lens to assess employees on two axes:

• Competence: Do they have the skills to execute their ideas effectively?
• Motivation: Are they genuinely engaged and invested in driving impact?

By diagnosing where each team member sits, we can provide the right kind of support:

✅ High Competence, High Motivation: Empower them. Help them connect their ideas to the broader strategy.

🟡 High Competence, Low Motivation: Reignite their excitement by linking their work to impact and recognition.

🟠 Low Competence, High Motivation: Coach them. Help them build skills while refining their ideas.

🔴 Low Competence, Low Motivation: It’s time for a deeper conversation about fit and expectations.

Here’s the key: Leaders who embrace the multiverse problem don’t just enforce alignment—they inspire it. They help employees see how their work fits into the bigger picture while leaving space for creative exploration.

So, as you look at your own team, ask yourself: Are you pulling people back to the throughline in a way that keeps them energized, or are you shutting them down?

Let’s keep the universes connected.

- AF

P.S. Want to dive deeper into Performance-Based Leadership? Hit reply—I’d love to chat.