Scaling Your Business Starts with Trust and Delegation

For years, I thought the best way to get something done right was to do it myself. You know the saying: “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” I used to live by that mantra, believing it was the only way to maintain quality and control. But let’s be honest—it’s a recipe for burnout and missed growth opportunities.

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Sound familiar? If you’ve found yourself overwhelmed by doing everything and anything, it’s time to reframe your approach.

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Why Leaders Struggle to Let Go

As leaders, especially those of us striving for excellence, delegation feels like a loss of control. Why is it so hard to let go?

• Perfectionism: "No one can do it as well as I can."

• Speed: "It’s faster if I just do it myself."

• Fear: "What if it goes wrong and I have to fix it?"

• Guilt: "I don’t want to overwhelm my team."

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The problem with these excuses? They’re just short-term fixes. Sure, you might save time today, but in doing so, you’re holding back the long-term growth of your team—and yourself. 

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I’ll never forget when my incredible mentor, Sandy Catour, encouraged me to read Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection. It was a game-changer and completely shifted how I viewed leadership and growth.

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The Turning Point: Delegation as Leadership

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When I transitioned from being an Executive Assistant (EA) to Chief Operating Officer (COO), I quickly realized that scaling up my role meant scaling my ability to delegate. If I wanted to be a strong leader, I couldn’t keep handling everything myself.

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Take recruiting, for example. I had never done it before, but when it became my responsibility, I had to learn fast. I figured things out, made mistakes, and refined my process. But as the business grew, I couldn’t keep everything in my hands. I had to trust my team to take on more. The real lesson? Leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself—it’s about trusting others to step in and make things even better.

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Delegation Is Not Losing Control—it’s Leading Effectively

Delegation isn’t about offloading tasks because you’re overwhelmed. It’s about multiplying your impact. Here’s how to delegate successfully:

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• Identify Your Zone of Genius: Focus on what you do best and delegate the rest. Trust your team to handle tasks they excel at.

• Set Clear Expectations: Define what success looks like, but let your team decide how to get there.

• Start Small: Begin with small tasks, build trust through feedback, and celebrate progress. Trust grows over time—both ways.

• Coach, Don’t Critique: Mistakes are inevitable. Approach them as learning moments, not failures. Guide your team toward improvement.

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A Real-Life Lesson in Scaling Leadership

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When we created a new leadership role at StringCan, I had no blueprint to follow. The role didn’t exist, so I built it from scratch. Eventually, I found the right person to fill it, and they were a game-changer. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me an invaluable lesson: Letting go of what I could do allowed me to focus on what I should do—leading.

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Stop Being the Hero

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Here’s the hard truth: Trying to do everything yourself only leaves you exhausted, overwhelmed, and ineffective. Your team doesn’t need you to be the hero; they need you to lead. By trusting your team and giving them ownership, you unlock growth—for them and for your business.

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So, what’s one thing you’re still holding onto that someone else could take off your plate? Let it go, and watch your leadership and team flourish.

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Ready to scale your business and lead with confidence? Contact StringCan today to discover how we can help your team grow, thrive, and take your business to the next level.

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