Overwhelmed? It’s Time to Let Go and Lead

Mark arrived at our session looking drained, the weight of leadership (well, management) visibly pulling him down. He’d been managing his rapidly growing company for years, but now, the demands of the job were taking their toll.

“Obi, I’m at my breaking point,” Mark admitted right away. “My team just isn’t stepping up. I’m spending all my time dealing with tasks they should be handling, and I’m not able to focus on the bigger picture - the strategy, the vision. It’s overwhelming.”

It was clear that Mark was buried under the pressure, but I suspected something more was going on. So, I asked him to outline what was on his plate.

Mark listed a string of tasks - approvals, meetings, operational decisions, even minor troubleshooting. His schedule was clogged with day-to-day activities that had little to do with leading his company’s growth. Instead of operating as the CEO, he was acting as a project manager.

“Let’s take a step back,” I suggested. “Why do you think your team isn’t stepping up?”

Mark paused, frustrated. “I’ve tried delegating, but things fall apart, and I end up cleaning up the mess. It’s just easier for me to handle it all myself.”

I leaned in. “But look at the impact - it’s leaving you no space to focus on the strategic aspects of the business. You’re overwhelmed because you’re doing too much, and it’s keeping you from what really needs your attention.”

As we unpacked this, a realisation dawned. Mark wasn’t giving his team the room to take ownership because he hadn’t fully let go of control. He was inadvertently holding them back, creating a cycle where he felt he had to step in because they weren’t empowered to take the lead.

“I see it now,” Mark said slowly. “By not trusting them to handle things, I’m keeping everything on my plate. And that’s why I can’t focus on the bigger picture.”

We spent time exploring the root of his challenge: he wasn’t delegating enough because he didn’t believe his team could handle it. But the real issue wasn’t their capability - it was the lack of space and responsibility he’d given them. We mapped out the key tasks Mark could delegate right away, and I encouraged him to start small, building their confidence and his trust incrementally.

“If you don’t make space for them to step up, they won’t,” I reminded him. “You’re keeping your team from growing into the roles they need to play, and at the same time, you’re preventing yourself from focusing on the strategic leadership your company needs right now.”

Mark nodded. “It’s not just me who’s stressed - it’s the whole organisation. I need to shift this.”

By the end of our session, Mark had a clearer sense of how to reframe his leadership approach. He knew that by empowering his team and letting go of some of the operational details, he could free himself up to focus on what really mattered—the company’s future direction, its vision, and the high-level strategy only he could drive.

The stress he felt wasn’t just about the tasks piling up - it was the consequence of not leading where he was needed most.

Reflection for Leaders:

1. Where are you holding on to tasks that could be delegated to your team?
2. Are you giving your team enough trust and space to step up and take ownership?
3. How is your current workload affecting your ability to focus on long-term strategy and growth?
4. What would it look like if you let go of the day-to-day operations and trusted your team to lead with you?

The true power of leadership lies not in doing everything but in empowering others to grow into their roles. Are you ready to let go and lead differently?