One of a leader's most important functions is serving as a shock absorber, soaking up forces generated by one part of the organization (or from outside the organization) and distributing them elsewhere, and doing so in such a way that the entire system operates more effectively. This is a simple metaphor, but it has some implications that are worth making explicit:
A shock absorber cushions the blow--it doesn't prevent the flow of force.
If a shock absorber tried to prevent force from flowing, it would A) collapse and then B) wreak havoc on the system. A useful shock absorber serves a dampening effect, diminishing a force's intensity or frequency before passing it along. But it doesn't try to stop force from being transmitted throughout the system. The controlled movement of force through a system is what makes the system useful.
The equivalent for a leader is translating forces from within and beyond the organization into forms of energy that can be productively absorbed by the intended targets.
A shock absorber pushes back--in both directions.
An effective shock absorber doesn't just act as a conduit, passing force along to adjacent elements in the system. It also generates resistance, which increases in proportion to the force being applied. This resistance is tempered so it won't exceed pre-determined limits, and it's bi-directional--it flows up as well as down.
The equivalent for a leader is knowing when and how to offer resistance, not only to colleagues and subordinates but also to superiors and external stakeholders.
A shock absorber is, above all else, resilient.
A well-designed shock absorber will last a long time over rough terrain, and not because it's tough, but because it's resilient. A resilient component deforms under pressure while retaining its internal consistency, later returning to its original form. Iron is tough, but it's not resilient--when it reaches its breaking point it shatters into pieces.
The equivalent for a leader is acknowledging the stress of leadership, obtaining useful forms of support well before they're needed, and committing to self-care practices that foster high performance.
For Further Reading
On Translation
On Resistance
On Self-Care
