The Invisible Work of Leadership: Absorbing the Noise Without Drowning in It
Some of the most important work leaders do is the kind that often goes unnoticed. It doesn’t show up in KPIs, quarterly reports or performance reviews. But ask anyone who has worked under a truly great leader, and they’ll tell you — it made all the difference.
Recently, I caught up with some ex-colleagues. The topic of a leader we once had came up, and we reminisced about how well we worked together as a team under them — free from unnecessary drama and distractions. We just gelled — we challenged each other, were open to feedback, had a shared focus and got the job done. What we all recognised, in hindsight, was just how much our leader had shielded us from: the office politics, organisational tensions and background noise that could have distracted or derailed us.
The reality is, this type of realisation often only happens after the fact. We don’t always see how much a leader absorbs on our behalf until they’re gone.
This is one of the invisible responsibilities of leadership: creating an environment where people can thrive by filtering out the distractions, dysfunction and unnecessary stress that could otherwise pull them away from their work.
The leader as a sponge
Good leaders absorb a lot:
✅ The unspoken frustrations between departments.
✅ The pressures from above that could trickle down as stress.
✅ The jockeying for the boss's attention (no, we're not talking about kindergarten — but there are similarities!).
✅ The small tensions that, if left unchecked, could become full-blown conflicts.
✅ The ego-driven agendas.
But the thing about sponges is they can only hold so much before they need to be wrung out. That’s why the best leaders don’t just absorb — they filter. They process what’s important, let go of what isn’t and pass on only what’s necessary.
Crucially, this filtering isn’t arbitrary. Great leaders filter through the lens of organisational values, team behaviours or a shared charter. They don’t just decide what noise to absorb and what to pass on based on personal preferences — they ensure that what they communicate reinforces the right culture. This means:
🔹 Modelling respect — not just within the team but also in interactions across the organisation, with customers, suppliers, boards, ministers and beyond.
🔹 Maintaining trust — by ensuring transparency in what is shared and keeping unnecessary politics at bay.
🔹 Enabling focus — by protecting their teams from distractions that don’t serve the mission.
That’s why teams under strong leadership experience clarity instead of confusion, trust instead of suspicion and focus instead of chaos.
But if leaders keep taking it all in without an outlet, they eventually reach capacity. And when a sponge is oversaturated, it either starts leaking or, worse, becomes a breeding ground for toxicity.
Who absorbs for the absorbers?
Here’s where leadership can get dangerous. If a leader constantly absorbs stress, office politics and emotional labour without a release valve, they eventually reach a breaking point. They either:
1️⃣ Start unintentionally passing it on — perhaps by becoming impatient, overly critical or disengaged.
2️⃣ Burn out, losing the energy and clarity needed to lead well.
3️⃣ Carry the weight home, where it spills into personal relationships.
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That’s why leaders must create safe spaces to release that tension.
This could be through:
🔹 Peer networks – Fellow leaders who get it and can provide perspective.
🔹 Mentors or coaches – Someone outside the day-to-day who can help process challenges.
🔹 Personal reflection – Journaling, exercise, faith or other (healthy) outlets that allow for resetting.
🔹 Setting boundaries – Knowing when to step back and protect one’s own energy.
The takeaway: Leadership requires a drainage system
Absorbing the noise is part of a leader's job. But great leadership isn’t just about protecting the team — it’s also about protecting oneself so that leadership remains sustainable. Think: oxygen mask first 😉.
So here’s our challenge as leaders:
Be the sponge for some things, be the filter for others. In doing so, you absorb the distractions so your team can focus — but at the same time, you ensure that what you do pass on reinforces the right values and culture.
And finally, be intentional about wringing out — find the spaces where you can release and reset. Leadership isn’t about avoiding the hard stuff — it’s about managing it well. And the best leaders don’t just carry the load; they ensure they have the right systems to handle it.
Where’s your safe space to squeeze out the noise? Let’s talk about building leadership habits that don’t just serve others but sustain you too. I’d love to hear how you manage this invisible responsibility.
