Opinion: How great leaders turn imaginary barriers into opportunity

Andrea Battaglia

I’ve met so many talented professionals who hesitate – not because they lack skill, but because they think they need to wait. Wait for a title. Wait for authority. Wait for someone to say, “Yes, you’re ready.” The problem? Those barriers aren’t real. They’re imagined. But if no one clears them away, people stay stuck – and their best ideas fade before they even begin. That’s why, throughout my career, I’ve practiced making the invisible visible. When someone hesitates, I name what they already have. I hand over the decision, the responsibility, the opportunity – and I say the words out loud: “I see you. I trust you. I know you can do this.” Because once people can see it, they can step into it.

Clear the imaginary hurdles
Most hesitation has nothing to do with capability. It’s about the false belief: “I can’t move until someone gives me permission.” As leaders, we need to take that excuse off the table.

• Say it directly: “I see you. I trust you. I know you can do this.”
• Hand off a project, decision or responsibility they’ve been circling but never owned. I often “pass” an invisible object from me to them – making the handoff visible, tangible and undeniable.
• Show them their authority isn’t locked at the top. Their contribution matters now, not someday.

Say it, show it
Trust can’t stay implied. People need to hear it – and see it. This isn’t about micromanagement or giving orders; it’s about creating space for a person and project to thrive.

• Use words. “This is yours.” Then step back far enough for them to feel real ownership.
• Use gestures. Hand something across the table, put their name next to the responsibility or assign it publicly so others see it too.
• Make the invisible barrier vanish by replacing it with a visible, tangible signal of ownership.
• Agree on check-ins. Ask, “How often would you like me to check in?” Then hold yourself to it.

Step back so they can step forward
The handoff only works if you actually let it go. Cheer them on so they feel supported. Offer guidance when they’re stuck – but don’t take it back. And recognize the courage to begin as much as the progress they make.

That’s when confidence builds. That’s when people stop waiting for titles and start leading.

Here are some steps to try right now:

1. Identify one person who’s hesitating, then say the words: “I trust you. This is yours.”
2. Make the handoff visible – in a meeting, on a project plan, or even with a small symbolic gesture.
3. Replace step-by-step oversight with: “Call me when you’re blocked.”
4. Celebrate the starting line and the finish line – because progress itself is proof of trust.

Multiply the momentum
Here’s the best part: once someone experiences it, they begin passing it along themselves.

• A new professional trusts their instincts.
• A new leader takes a stretch step.
• A seasoned leader shifts from bottleneck to multiplier.

That’s how entrepreneurial environments grow. Not by waiting on leaders at the top – but by everyone learning to make invisible barriers visible, handing over real ownership and unleashing leadership at every level.

Great leaders don’t let invisible barriers stall their people. They clear the path, make it visible and show what’s possible. Because once someone sees it, they can create it. And once they create it, they’ll never go back to waiting again.

Andrea Battaglia is the chief excellence officer at Abacus in Springfield. She can be reached at abattaglia@abacuspro.com.