You could be missing a critical opportunity with your L-3 leaders. How many times have you found yourself saying, “Why don’t more people take the ball and run?” or “Why don’t our teams work together more effectively?”

The question to then ask yourself and your team is, what have we done to truly empower them? Not just say the words, but actually delegate authority, resources, and decision-making to that level. How are you working every day to remove barriers and create space for them to build relationships and collaborate with each other?

Most importantly, if you want them to “take the ball and run,” then you must hand off the ball more often. This group is where a company’s culture lives or dies and is typically where effective execution happens.

Therefore, these leaders deserve a great deal of attention, especially in the form of mentorship and support. Give them room to learn, make mistakes, grow, and develop.

Bottom line: The better you set up & leverage your 3rd level, the better your entire organization is likely to perform.