Years ago, I built a small team I trusted deeply. I trained them, supported them, knew their strengths. But I didn’t understand just how capable they were until they had the opportunity to run the show for a few days while I was out of town.
During that time, a particularly tense situation cropped up with a customer.
Normally, I would’ve jumped in, crafted the response myself, and made sure the message struck the right tone. But by the time I saw it, the issue had already been resolved.
And the message? Better than what I would’ve written.
Clear, empathetic, firm. Everything it needed to be.
It hit me: I wasn’t actually necessary in the way I thought I was. I had done the prep work. I had trained the right person. I just hadn’t given her the space to lead.
The cost of being “in the loop” all the time
A lot of founders think the problem is their team’s performance.
That’s sometimes true…but more often than not, the core issue is the founder’s grip on decision-making.
When you’re copied on every client email, pulled into every project thread, approving every next step, you’re not “staying in the loop.” You’re becoming the wall everything has to go through.
That’s not sustainable.
That’s not empowering your team.
And it’s definitely not what the CEO of a thriving business should be doing at 10 PM or on the weekend.
Your constant presence isn’t actually beneficial
“But I’m just trying to be helpful.”
I hear this a lot.
Listen, I get it: You don’t want to be a micromanager. You want to be accessible, supportive, responsive.
But your presence isn’t the same as your leadership.
Here are a few signs you’ve crossed the line between being helpful and being a bottleneck:
- You’re exhausted but don’t know what you can actually let go of
- You feel like nothing moves forward unless you touch it
- You still have to remind your team what the priorities are each week
- You have to follow up to get updates or ensure work gets done
If you’re constantly stepping in to answer every question or redirect the team (even in the name of being helpful) you’re actually delaying their ability to step up.
Leadership, in this context, means building the structure and expectations that let your team move forward, without needing a push from you every time.
The CEO mindset starts with letting go
Founders who stay stuck in the day-to-day operations instead of stepping fully into the CEO role often aren’t lacking intelligence or effort. But they may be missing the leadership skills their business now requires, skills that aren’t intuitive and often haven’t been taught.
You don’t need to have eyes on every line item or approval on every email to be a great CEO. Consider this your official permission slip to let go of the pressure to know, and control, every single detail of your business.
Letting go isn’t giving up. It’s choosing a new kind of responsibility:
- Defining what success looks like and letting your team own the path to get there
- Designing clear roles and responsibilities
- Delegating decisions, not just tasks
- Giving your team the tools, information, and authority to do the job well without circling back to you for approval
Will they always do it exactly how you would?
No. Sometimes they’ll do it better.
But they won’t get the chance if you’re still hovering in the inbox, tweaking their copy, or jumping in with the final word.
What leadership looks like in practice
Here’s what this shift can look like in action:
- Instead of reviewing every task, you hold one high-leverage 1:1 each week where you coach your team on how to think through problems themselves.
- Instead of sitting in on every client call, you hand off delivery with a documented SOP and a debrief rhythm that gives you visibility—without reinserting yourself.
- Instead of answering, “What should I do?” you reply, “What’s your proposed solution?” and hold space for them to take ownership.
And once your team recovers from the shock of finally being empowered, watch them flourish in ways you never imagined.
They anticipate problems before you ask.
They show initiative.
They start solving instead of escalating.
You stop needing to work late.
You stop constantly checking Slack.
You stop being the reason things are stuck.
That’s high-impact leadership.
Action plan: Let go with intention
Here’s a challenge I often give my clients that you can implement this week:
1. Identify 3 decisions or approvals you’re currently holding onto.
Start small. Look for tasks that take up your time but could be moved to someone else with the right training or structure.
2. Choose one to hand off completely.
Be clear about the outcome, the constraints, due date, and the level of authority. Have them run their work by you for calibration and coaching when they are about halfway through. Then give them the space to own it.
3. Reflect and recalibrate.
Did they execute well? What worked? Where did you over explain or under-resource? Use that insight to improve your next delegation.
It’s okay if it’s a little bumpy at first. This isn’t a one-time fix. It’s a muscle you build.
And one day, when you check back in and see your team made the right call without you, you won’t just feel proud. You’ll feel free.
