The Faucets and the Plumbing of Leadership

The Backstory

The concept of “The Faucets and the Plumbing” originated when I was working with a company that made faucets. When you’re dealing with plumbing, there’s two parts to it: The parts you can see and the parts you can’t. And when working with organizations, it’s the same. There are parts you can see and there are parts you can’t.  

Think of it like this: You've got your faucet. That's the physical business, the part that everyone sees. And then there's the plumbing. That’s the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes everything run smoothly. The stuff like leadership skills and techniques, healthy conflict, establishing goals and vision, etc. Those things are the plumbing. It’s the invisible, but critical stuff that nobody even thinks about.  

Essentially, the “Faucets and the Plumbing” is establishing the why behind the what. It’s a very important leadership skill that unfortunately, is missing in many businesses today.

What it Means for Leaders

Here's the thing: effective leaders spend a lot of their time working “behind the wall” making sure the organizational plumbing is solid. Because oftentimes, establishing the “why” is more important than the “what.”

It's kind of like what Simon Sinek talks about with his Golden Circle. You've got to get people to buy into why you're doing something, not just what you're doing. That "why" is what the business leaders and team members need to understand when they’re presented with the “what.”

This means that establishing the techniques, encouraging open conversations, and really digging into the reasons behind your organizational decisions need to be crystal clear. Without clarity behind those details, your leadership team may appear disjointed and not on the same page. This can, in turn, contribute to a lack of trust and confidence throughout the organization.

This Golden Circle principle emphasizes that to truly motivate and engage individuals within an organization, leaders must go beyond the basic explaining of what needs to be done or how tasks should be accomplished. You must get to the real “why.”

What it Means for Your Teams

Without a doubt, understanding the why behind the what is beneficial for leadership teams but those benefits can also trickle down throughout your organization. 

Here’s a few reasons why understanding the plumbing or the "why" is so significant to your teams:

Engagement and Motivation

When people understand the “why” behind their work, they’re more likely to be engaged and motivated. The "why" connects their tasks to a larger goal or direction which makes their role feel more meaningful. Teams who see the value in their work are more committed and passionate, which can lead to higher productivity and job satisfaction.

Trust and Loyalty

Sharing the "why" with your employees helps build trust and shows transparency and openness. It gives leaders the opportunity to show that they value their employees' understanding and involvement. It creates a cohesive workplace culture where employees feel valued and part of something bigger than themselves.

Decision-Making

When employees know the purpose behind their role and the work they do, they can make better decisions that more closely align with the organization's goals and values. Being aligned like this builds a better working environment and can reduce conflicts and misunderstandings.

Innovation

When individuals understand the “why,” they’re more inclined to think creatively and find innovative solutions to the issues they face. The "why" inspires employees to look beyond their immediate tasks and consider how they can contribute to the organization's larger mission.

Simply put, the “why” provides a foundation that a rock-solid company culture can be built upon.

The Faucets, the Plumbing, and Growth

The “Faucets and Plumbing” concept also supports the 5 stages of change. 

I've talked about these stages before in my article about moving faster as a business but real quick, those stages are Awareness, Understanding, Acceptance, Commitment, and Advocacy. Understanding the “why” facilitates the step between knowing about a company change (awareness) to really getting it (understanding).

There’s a lot of emotions tied to company growth. That’s because organizational growth requires organizational change. Being scared, unsure, or even a bit anxious about what’s to come is common and should be expected. And that's where we, as leaders, need to come in and do more than just announce changes. 

If you approach organizational change without getting into the "plumbing," you’re setting yourself up for a lot of confusion and pushback, and that never ends well. It doesn’t build trust or get your teams excited about what’s to come. It’s basically saying, “Here’s what’s new, now deal with it.”

Helping everyone understand why a change is happening, how it's going to make things better, and what it means for everyone is, at times, more critical than announcing the change itself. It helps move people from just knowing about the change to fully embracing it.

Change is inevitable within healthy organizations so be 100% sure that you’re ready with the “why” when you deliver the “what.”

The Wrap Up

The “Faucets and Plumbing” concept is a great reminder of what it takes to lead an organization. It highlights the need to go beyond the basics of leadership to really helping the entire business understand the why behind the what. 

So when running your business, bring all the faucets and all the plumbing and lay everything out on the table for everyone to see. By making sure our teams get the full picture—the visible changes AND the stuff working behind the scenes—we can smooth out transitions, build trust and cohesion, and head toward success.