Some time ago I had the chance to do something a bit unexpected — take part in an armadillo race at a Texas festival. Set the quirks of the experience aside, because what it really gave me was a useful metaphor for leadership. Let me explain.
Imagine you’re at the helm of a project. You’ve set everything up — a clear process, the tools, the resources. You’ve picked the right team members, just like I picked my armadillo, confident they have what it takes. You’ve seen the promising signs. You align everything toward the goal, finish line in sight. Then the project kicks off, much like the start of my race. And instead of running toward the goal, something goes sideways. The project — or in my case, the armadillo — veers off course. Despite all your preparation, the team or the process falters and heads somewhere you didn’t intend.
What went wrong?
That’s when it hit me: pointing your team at the goal and letting them run isn’t enough. They need consistent guidance, course corrections, and support along the way. In the race, I watched the other participants helping their armadillos stay on track — gently tapping and guiding them toward the finish. I lost the first race. But once I learned to stay engaged and offer subtle guidance at the right moments, I won the next one. The armadillo wasn’t being controlled. It was being directed and supported.
The parallels to running an MSP are clear
Consistency matters. When guidance is consistent, teams and processes succeed. A manager who’s constantly resetting everything but never following through leaves the team stuck in the corner, like my armadillo, never reaching the finish line.
Start with clear direction. It’s our job as managers to grab hold of our teams and processes and make sure they’re aligned with the business objectives. Sometimes that means pulling things back, resetting, and starting fresh to create a new opportunity for success.
Provide guidance without micromanagement. You can’t let your people or your processes loose and expect them to reach the goal unaided — and you can’t control every move they make either. It’s about the right support at the right time to keep everything on track. It’s the same balance behind building an accountability flywheel that keeps spinning without you pushing.
Reset when needed. If things go off course, don’t hesitate to reset. Picking up my armadillo after its first failure was the critical move. In your MSP, recognize when a project or a team member has veered off, reset, and help them regain focus.
Leadership isn’t about holding on too tightly or letting go completely. It’s about balancing trust with support and stepping in with guidance when it’s needed. So next time you’re managing a project or a team, remember: success isn’t about the initial setup — it’s about how well you guide them along the way. And if you ever get the chance, go race an armadillo. You might just learn something about leadership.
At Ridgeview Advisors, we teach MSP leaders how to guide their teams and processes to the finish line — training in cohorts with coaches who’ve done it. When you’re tired of guessing, [join a cohort](https://howtomsp.ridgeviewadvisors.com/join-a-coh
