“It’s quicker if I just do it myself.”
I’ve said that more times than I’d like to admit.
And in the moment, it’s usually true. You know what needs to be done, you know how you like it done, and explaining it to someone else can feel like more work than just handling it yourself.
But every time we do that, we keep the knowledge, the decision, and the responsibility sitting with us.
That’s where it gets tricky.
A lot of business owners don’t struggle because they lack strategy or work ethic. They struggle because they’re carrying too much.
Answering the questions. Fixing the issues. Checking the work. Making the final call. Not because no one else is capable, but because it has become the habit.
I know that habit well.
For a long time, I thought being across everything was a strength. It felt responsible. It felt like leadership. It felt like I was protecting the business.
But over time, I started to realise that holding onto everything was creating a different kind of risk. The business could only move as far as I could personally carry it.
Letting go wasn’t instant, and it definitely wasn’t always comfortable. Training took time. Things weren’t always done exactly how I would have done them. There were plenty of moments where it would have felt easier to jump back in and take over.
But slowly, as I trusted the team to step up, something changed.
The business didn’t fall apart. It got stronger AND more productive!
And I got something back I hadn’t realised I’d been giving away: time, space, and a bit more freedom to think clearly.
The tip here isn’t to hand everything over at once. It’s just to notice the moments where “I’ll do it myself” has stopped being helpful and started becoming the thing that keeps everything dependent on you.
Ask the question: “What is one thing I am holding onto that someone else could do?”
That’s often where the shift begins.
Remember, small steps lead to big wins.
