If I had a buck for every time a leader has told me, “Once my team’s fully up to speed, then I’ll be able to relax,” I think I’d have first class plane tickets to Europe.
What they’re really saying is: “I’m carrying the whole operation on my back.”
I hear it all the time — teams looping back for approval, sign‑off, or clarification. Not because they can’t decide, or they’re not competent, but because their leader’s still stuck at the center. That burns leaders out and locks momentum down when your company needs agility most.
We’ve talked about decisiveness and empowerment before. In this episode, we’ll talk about baking with the flour you’ve got, and spotting where you’re the one slowing things down. It’s time to shift from being a bottleneck to being their launchpad.
The Hidden Cost of “Waiting For Permission”
Let’s talk about a habit that drains momentum: waiting for permission. You’ve seen it. Projects stall, emails pile up, and suddenly everything is running through you.
It’s especially tough when there’s lots of changes happening—the higher the stakes, the more people play it safe with a quick “let’s check with the boss.” It looks like discipline, but under pressure, it makes strong teams brittle.
And I get why it happens. You’ve built credibility from catching mistakes before they happen. Leadership at scale though doesn’t mean you always catching mistakes—it’s about teaching others to catch them.
I know you care about precision, responsibility, and consistency. You keep the bar high because quality matters. That same instinct can create dependence; people start leaning on your certainty instead of their own judgment. It’s like never taking the training wheels off.
3 Moves to Build Team Independence
Let’s look at three things that build independent, strong teams:
- Clarify decision rights: Most hesitation comes from fuzzy ownership. Be clear which calls your team owns—vendors, schedules, processes. When ownership’s clear, trust becomes earned, instead of assumed.
- Reward initiative, not just outcomes: When someone acts thoughtfully, even imperfectly, notice the courage. That kind of recognition turns a waiting culture into a learning one.
- Debrief failures like growth, not like autopsies: When something misses the mark, skip ‘what went wrong?’. Ask ‘what are you gonna try next time? It keeps the buzz of experimentation alive and reduces the fear of taking risks.
If you’re wondering where to start—find your pinch points. That’s where your calendar, inbox, or patience gets tight. For a couple of weeks, note every ‘Should we…?‘ question that lands in your inbox, and every email you’re copied on without a clear reason. And scan your calendar for repeating 15-minute meetings.
Those patterns show exactly where things slow down. Then ask your team what they wait on you for — and that’s your cue to teach, not take over.
“I was holding the wrong things.”
I heard someone recently frame it perfectly: “I thought letting go meant losing control. Turns out, I was just holding on to the wrong things.”
Here’s your reflection question for the week: What decision do you wish would vanish from your inbox?
Don’t wait for perfect ingredients. Bake with what you’ve got—and trust your team to make it work.
Want your newly independent team to decide faster? Check out episode 84, “How Ops Execs Decide Fast Without Regret.” You’ll find it at yourfuturerealized.com/84.
Remember, you can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game — and I’m always in your corner.