Lenny's Reads Listen: How to debug a team that isn’t working: the Waterline Model
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Mar 3, 2026 A diagnostic model for fixing underperforming teams without defaulting to blame. A boat analogy that recommends checking surface systems before diving into individual faults. Clear steps covering structure, team dynamics, interpersonal tensions, and when to make decisive personnel calls. Tips on why self-preservation often drives behavior in broken environments.
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Snorkel Before You Scuba
- The Waterline Model diagnoses problems by asking what’s happening below the surface rather than blaming people first.
- The rule "Snorkel before you scuba" means start at shared systems like goals and roles before diagnosing personalities.
Fix Structure First
- Start diagnosing with structure: vision, goals, expectations, role clarity, and organizational design before deeper layers.
- Molly says structure is the most common culprit and often explains why people seem misaligned or ineffective.
Dynamics Are Experienced Norms
- Dynamics are the experienced norms of how teams behave day to day, distinct from written processes.
- Even with clear structure, teams can bottleneck decisions or avoid risk because of learned incentives and leader signals.