Making the Invisible Visible: The Hidden Work of Leadership

Some of the biggest challenges in leadership aren’t about fixing what’s obvious - they’re about surfacing what isn’t.

The forces that shape an organisation - trust, power, belonging, fear, tension, resentment, confusion, passion - are often unspoken, operating just beneath the surface. If left unnamed, they quietly influence decision-making, engagement and performance in ways that aren't obvious at face value. Change efforts don’t stick. Collaboration feels strained. Conversations go in circles. Meanwhile, we throw more resources and more ‘solutions’ at fixing things, wondering why they don’t work.

It can feel risky to surface these invisible dynamics. Sometimes, we don’t know how. Sometimes, it feels easier to avoid them. But strong leaders develop the ability to make the invisible visible. They sense the unsaid. They ask good questions. They create the conditions for people to name and address what’s really going on. And when they do, teams move with greater clarity, alignment and ease. Even joy.

What might be shaping things beneath the surface in your team? And how can you hold your next meeting in a way that makes the invisible visible?