Waterline Model

The Waterline Model

"Your only goal as a manager, if you do nothing else, is clear roles and clear expectations." — Molly Graham

What It Is

Imagine a team as a boat. Problems below the waterline sink the boat. Leaders often dive deep (scuba) to fix "people problems" first, but they should snorkel first. Start at the surface with structural issues (goals/roles) before addressing interpersonal dynamics.

When To Use

• Friction, confusion, or underperformance within a team
• Before assuming conflict is due to "difficult people"
• When teams are fighting over responsibilities
• As a diagnostic before any team restructuring

The Model

               🌊 SURFACE (Snorkel First)
    ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
    │  1. GOALS — Does team know destination? │
    │  2. ROLES — Who owns what?              │
    │  3. EXPECTATIONS — What does good look? │
    └─────────────────────────────────────────┘
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
    │  4. SKILLS — Can they do the job?       │
    │  5. MOTIVATION — Do they want to?       │
    │  6. PERSONALITY — Is there true clash?  │
    └─────────────────────────────────────────┘
               🌊 DEPTH (Scuba Later)

Core Principles

1. Snorkel Before You Scuba

Check structural alignment before analyzing personality conflicts.

2. Clarify Goals

Does the team know what the destination is?

3. Clarify Roles

Does everyone know who owns what part of the elephant?

80% Rule

80% of team problems are structural, not personality-driven. Fix structure before blaming people.

How To Apply

STEP 1: Ask "What number were you hired to drive?"
└── If answer is vague → Goal problem

STEP 2: Ask "Who owns [specific task]?"
└── If multiple people claim it → Role problem
└── If no one claims it → Role problem

STEP 3: Ask "What does good look like?"
└── If answer is vague → Expectations problem

STEP 4: Only After 1-3 Are Clear
└── Consider skills, motivation, personality

Common Mistakes

❌ Assuming conflict is due to "bad culture" or "difficult people"

❌ Jumping straight to personality assessments

❌ Reorganizing teams without first clarifying goals

Real-World Example

Graham often finds that when teams are fighting, simply asking "What number were you hired to drive?" reveals that no one actually knows their specific accountability.

Source: Molly Graham, Lenny's Podcast