Are you a person who likes to always have your foot on the gas, or do you tend to ride the brakes when you drive? I would guess that many of the people reading this are “foot on the gas” kind of people. Leaders often are. And yet, have you noticed that every vehicle — even expertly designed performance models — come equipped with both gas pedals and brakes. Why?

You need both.

The same applies in our organizations. Heidi Grant Halvorson has dubbed foot on the gas people as promoters, whose goal is to make good things happen. She also notes that protectors, those ride the brakes people in your organization, work to keep bad things from happening. Both groups of people truly want what is best for your organization . . . and they can drive each other crazy.

Promoters often see protectors as glass is half empty sticks in the mud who take great delight in poking holes in every great idea. Protectors, on the other hand, tend to see promoters as unrealistic dreamers who don’t understand all the details, risks and barriers involved in their grand plan. As a result, it can feel like these groups of people are constantly at odds with each other, leaving everyone frustrated and sucking the momentum out of your efforts.

How can you get promoters and protectors to work with each other, rather than seemingly against each other? Start with intent. Both groups want what is best for the organization, they just have different ideas of what that looks like . . . and you need both perspectives! To drive to the top of the mountain, you need the gas to propel you, and also breaks to keep you from driving off a cliff. Have that conversation with the team. Discuss how the different perspectives may result in creative tension, but also lead to better and more sustainable results. Encourage the promoters big ideas . . . as well as the reality check offered by the protectors — which rather than throwing cold water on a plan can actually push the team to come up with an even better, and more sustainable, alternative.

As the leader, it is your responsibility to help your team see that promoters and protectors need to partner with each other, in a synergistic give and take, if the entire organization is going to succeed. Gas or brakes is a false choice. You need both gas AND brakes to get to the top of the mountain.