The Biggest Leadership Mistake You Don’t Realize You’re Making

Why "Doing More" is Holding You Back as a Leader

Early in my career, I thought being a good leader meant working harder than everyone else—staying late, handling every crisis, and making sure every detail was just right. I was busy, I was productive, and I was exhausted. But here’s what I didn’t realize: leadership isn’t about doing more. It’s about enabling more.

The best leaders don’t just work harder; they build teams that work smarter. They don’t carry the weight alone—they empower others to share the load. If you’re constantly doing instead of leading, you’re not just holding yourself back—you’re holding your team back, too.

The Shift: From Doing to Leading

🔹 Let Go to Grow – The moment I stopped trying to have all the answers and started trusting my team, everything changed. People stepped up, solutions improved, and results skyrocketed.

🔹 Coach, Don’t Control – Leadership isn’t about making decisions for people—it’s about giving them the confidence to make their own.

🔹 Think Bigger – A leader’s job isn’t to micromanage the present; it’s to shape the future. Your impact should go beyond day-to-day execution to long-term vision and strategy.

Try This Today

✔ Step back from a task you normally control. Assign it to someone on your team and let them take full ownership.

✔ Shift your meetings from updates to strategy. Instead of just tracking progress, start discussing big-picture opportunities and roadblocks.

✔ Ask, “What do you think?” more often. The more you encourage independent thinking, the more capable your team will become.

Start Leading Forward

I wrote Lead Forward! because I’ve been there—stuck in the trap of overworking instead of leading. The moment you shift your mindset, everything changes. Ready to make the leap? Your team—and your future self—will thank you.