“I Lead a team, getting people and projects advancing.
For every strategy we come up with, they find two new blocks.”

This hit a nerve for me. Because I’ve heard this a dozen times in the last two weeks—including in coaching sessions.

So let’s cut to it:
You’ve got smart people.
You’ve got a good plan.
And yet—somehow—you’re stuck in the molasses of “Wait, we can’t do that because…”

Sound familiar?

😩 But Is It Actually a Block… or Just a Hypothetical Panic Button?

This is where most leaders trip.

Every time your team flags an issue, you treat it like a cement wall.
But here’s the question I coach leaders to start asking:

Is this a real block—or just a risk no one has assessed like an adult?

Because here’s the truth:
I see way too many smart teams delay, strangle, and ultimately destroy projects because of something that might happen, could go wrong, or once happened in another company seven years ago.

Let’s break it down:

🚧 What’s a Block vs. What’s Just a Risk?

Here’s the thing:
Most teams don’t know the difference—because no one taught them how to think this way.

That’s your job now.

🧠 Why Your Team Keeps “Finding Blocks”

It’s not that they’re lazy.
Or negative.
It’s that the system rewarded them for caution.

You want to know what’s really happening?

They’ve learned it’s safer to delay than to act.
They’ve learned “bringing up concerns” gets praised more than pushing forward.
They’ve learned that momentum is risky—but stalling looks responsible.

So now every meeting becomes a game of strategy whack-a-mole.

🧰 What to Do Instead

1. Start Calling the Bluff

Next time someone raises a “block,” ask:

“Is this actually happening, or are we just worried it could?”
“Let’s score it—impact vs. likelihood.”
“What are the warning signs to watch for?”

Nine times out of ten? It dies in the light.

2. Teach Them the Filter

Give your team permission to flag real blockers—but coach them to analyze risks like grown-ups.

You don’t need an entire risk department. Just two questions:

• If this happened, how bad would it be?

• How likely is it to happen?
  

If the answers are “eh, not that bad” and “probably not”—guess what?
That’s not a reason to delay.

3. Build a Weekly Unblock Cadence

Make this a standing agenda item:

• What’s actually stopping us?

• What are we afraid of that isn’t even real?

• Are we blocking progress to protect egos or outcomes?

Bring a little ruthless clarity to the table.

🔥 Real Client Words, Real Friction

“You see potential, otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation.”
Yep. You’re here because deep down, you know your team can move faster.

“The cost of the speed of the growth of the company.”
Speed isn’t the enemy. Hesitation is.

“The program needs to be restructured.”
Because right now, you’re set up to stall. Not to scale.

Here’s the Truth
Most “blockers” aren’t blockers.
They’re just fear in a trench coat.

And your job as a leader?
Call it out.
Reframe it.
And teach your team to move forward even when things feel uncertain.

Because if you wait for perfect clarity and zero risk?
You’ll still be in this same meeting next quarter—debating the same fake fire alarms.

👇 Want a Quick Tool for This?

DM me and I’ll send you my 5-question Risk vs. Block Audit to use in your next team meeting.
Fast. Painless. Brutally effective.

And if you’re ready to stop being the team’s full-time project plumber—let’s talk.