How Leadership Coaching Helps Founders Let Go Without Losing Control
We see it often: businesses outgrowing the way they’re led. That’s not failure-it’s evolution.
Are you ready for that shift?
This is the question we normally get to after our initial exploratory session with an overwhelmed but still ambitious founder. At this point they have a fundamental choice to make which impacts their own future but also that of their employees, and the company itself.
The choice being more of the same or something different.
The difference we are talking about here is the evolution from a primarily founder-led business to a mainly leader-led company. Are they ready and prepared to take a step forward to create the space for others to step up and lead more?
Stepping forward to enable others the opportunity to grow is always a tough but courageous choice. But it is the choice that serves the company, the leaders and the founders best, if they have the awareness to focus on their medium to long term aspirations.
Reframe: I get to do this
rather than got to do this.
We are always more motivated to act if we are doing so based on a conscious choice that serves us, and this is one of those choices. Seeing this evolution from founder-led to leader-led as part of the success journey and a natural phase to work through makes the choice easier
Also keeping in mind that by making this choice you are serving your leaders, the wider company, and future you, helps nullify the natural resistance we feel towards change.
The leaders get the chance to develop to their full potential. You get to reward them for the time spent so far and you probably increase the likelihood of retaining the talent you have spent the last few years developing.
The company gets new energy and momentum from a revised reporting and leadership structure.
And you get more freedom to revert back to being the business builder. The innovator and the entrepreneur.
Rethink: How do I let go
and still retain some degree of control?
This is the crux of the evolution needed. The founder lets others lead more but needs to still feel a certain amount of control over the direction of travel.
The analogy we use here is that you (the founder) still have the compass but they (the leadership team) get the map. You are focussed on the overall direction of travel (purpose, principles and strategic directIon) they are focussed on the best route to get there (operational tactics, organisation of resources and bringing the team with them.
In essence you are just adding more leadership capacity and enabling you to focus on what’s important whilst they deal with the urgent.
And remind yourself that control is reality is an illusional concept, as there are always going to be factors that impact the success of the business that sit outside of your personal control so this is really just an extension of that.
Yes you sacrifice a little control here but you still get to influence and you also get something more valuable - time to think and time to create.
Refocus: Evolution not revolution
This transition is best achieved at a steady control pace for all concerned. There is no need to rush this as this puts unnecessary pressure on all concerned.
Start with this one question
“What’s one responsibility that, if taken off your plate, would free you up to focus more time on the future ?”
And keep repeating that process so that overtime the responsibility shifts from you to them. And as every great leader knows, the key to successful delegation is making sure they understand not just the what and how but more importantly the why. So focus on the why as that is the piece of work needed to allow others to lead with confidence and clarity.
See this as a project, yes it’s a pretty big project but like all successful projects is it just a case of nailing the next step and moving forward from there. Stepping forward consciously and purposefully.
