📬 In This Week’s Issue:
Why leadership feels heavier than it should
The hidden signs of over-functioning
How to let go without letting things fall apart
Reader Q&A: “How do I know if I’m stepping in too much?”
A weekly challenge to lighten your leadership load
Setting the Stage
Leadership isn’t supposed to feel like a grind every day.
But for a lot of leaders I work with, it does.
They’re drained. Overbooked. Stuck in the weeds of things their team should be owning.
And it’s not because they’re bad at delegation.
It’s because somewhere along the way, they picked up the idea that real leadership means doing everything yourself.
It doesn’t.
🔎 THE BIG INSIGHT
Heavy leadership isn’t a badge of honor. It’s often a sign you’re carrying the wrong things.
I’ve coached dozens of smart, capable managers through this.
The pattern looks like this:
They want things done “right,” so they stay too close.
They care about the team, so they over-help.
They avoid letting go, so their team never fully steps up.
The result? Burnout, for both sides.
Here’s the shift:
You’re not supposed to carry the weight of the work.
You’re supposed to build people who can.
Spot the Signs You’re Over-Functioning
Ask yourself:
Am I attending meetings I don’t need to be in?
Am I solving problems before my team even has a chance to?
Am I rewriting work instead of coaching it forward?
Do I constantly feel like the blocker or bottleneck?
If the answer is “yes” to even one, good news.
You have leverage waiting to be unlocked.
Letting Go Without Losing Control
Here’s how to ease out of the weeds without letting things fall apart:
1. Pick One Area to Step Back From
Choose a project, process, or decision you’ve been overly involved in.
2. Create Clear Ownership
Tell your team who owns it and what success looks like.
No vagueness. No maybes.
3. Coach, Don’t Correct
Support from the side.
Resist the urge to jump in and fix. Ask questions instead.
4. Let It Be a Little Messy
Some bumps are part of the process.
That’s how trust and growth are built for both sides.
Takeaway:
Leadership is about leverage.
If everything depends on you, you don’t have a team, you have a task list with faces attached.
Let go of what you shouldn’t be carrying.
That’s when the real leadership begins.
💬 READER QUESTION
Q: “How do I know if I’m stepping in too much?”
If you’re answering questions your team could answer on their own…
If you’re constantly “saving” projects…
If you leave every meeting with more action items than anyone else…
You’re not leading. You’re over-functioning.
This week, ask your team:
→ “What would it look like for you to fully own this?”
→ “Where do you want more space or more support?”
Then hold the space, don’t fill it.
~ Chad Todd
This week, pick one area you’ve been holding too tightly and let your team take it. Leadership gets lighter when you stop carrying what you shouldn’t.
P.S.
If you’re serious about building a stronger culture and better leadership systems, check out Culture Wheel.
It’s the platform leaders go to hone their skills and build engaged teams and simplify performance reviews.
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