LEADERSHIP IMPACT EMPATHS

Great Intentions. Flawed Systems. Why Support Falls Apart Without Structure

Jul 23, 2025

Reading time: ~4 minutes


You trust your EA. You like them. They care about the work they do with and for you.

So why do things still fall through the cracks?

Because clarity isn’t about care — it’s about structure.


When support starts to wobble, many Executives assume it’s a performance issue.


But most breakdowns aren’t personal — they’re procedural. Even the best intentions collapse without shared systems.


Consider this metaphor: a yacht is heading north but facing strong currents and an easterly wind. Without clear strategy, even a skilled crew can hit the rocks.


There’s a big difference between deploying a storm drogue and a sea anchor. The drogue slows the vessel while maintaining course. The sea anchor deliberately holds the vessel in place. Both are safety tactics — but used incorrectly, they create chaos.


The Hidden Problems:


  • You think the request was clear. They thought they understood.
  • You expect proactiveness. They wait for more detail.
  • Tasks were handed over. Follow-through was assumed.


What’s gone wrong? Operational rigging — the rhythms, rules, and rituals that turn reactive support into strategic momentum. Without it, both sides spiral in cycles of constant clarification, errors, and fatigue.


The Problem in Context: This is the trap of Level 3 – Reliable Execution (like a Rescue Boat). Tasks get done. There’s competence. But without proactive systems, you won’t scale. Everyone’s working — but not winning.


The Shift:

Don’t assume harmony will emerge. Design it.

  • Create useable workflows.
  • Set agreements of a successful output.
  • Build structure that amplifies initiative — not kills it.


When your EA knows what’s expected, they will exceed it with precision.


This is one leg of the Triple S Co-Captains System — Skillset, Toolset, Mindset — designed to realign executive partnerships from reactive to high-performance.


⚓ Want less noise and more momentum in your week? Let’s map your rhythm. Book a 20-minute Partnership Pulse Check