Episode 04: Why Can't I Let Go?
Delegation, Control, and the Founder Who Keeps Taking Things Back
Tom has hired more people, but his load hasn't gotten any lighter. He jumps in when things are about to fall through the cracks. He takes things back because it's faster. And he wonders: is this just how I'm wired?
In this episode, Ashlee and Brad question the premise. Before asking whether Tom needs to change, they ask whether the structure around him is what's broken. They compare their frameworks for the different kinds of work in a business (designing, driving, deciding, and doing) and talk about why relationships tend to lock in at the lowest level of the work.
From there, they get practical: defining "done," setting constraints, and spelling out which decisions your team owns and which ones you keep. They also look at how a founder with a strong point of view can still give away real autonomy, why the time cost of explaining is worth it, and why changing your behavior is not the same as changing who you are.
If you say you want to delegate but somehow keep carrying everything, this one's for you.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Intro
01:00 Tom's Scenario
03:00 First Impressions
08:30 Designing, Driving, Deciding, Doing
14:30 Can You Lead and Do at the Same Time?
19:30 The Structures That Make Delegation Work
23:00 Defining "Done" and Who Decides What
29:00 Giving Away Autonomy Without Losing Your Voice
35:00 Building Trust and Transferring Knowledge
42:00 Why Explaining Is Worth the Time
46:00 Changing Your Behavior, Not Who You Are
52:00 Key Takeaways
Have a growing pain you're struggling to solve?
Send us your scenario at innerworkofbusiness@gmail.com. Tell us what's happening, how long it's been going on, and what you've already tried. If we use it on the show, we'll keep it anonymous.
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Brad Eisenberg is a scalability consultant who helps founders get out of the weeds and build businesses that feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside. Learn more at beleanbusiness.com
Ashlee Berghoff is a fractional COO and author of Eureka Results, building systems that protect sanity, peace, and creative work in a frenetic world. Learn more at ashleeberghoff.substack.com