Lesson 4: Fear of Letting Go

What Starts to Show Up Next?

As your conversations become more open and consistent, something else starts to happen. Your team begins to look to you for direction, support, and solutions. That’s a good sign. But it also comes with a risk. If you're not careful, you might fall back into the habit of doing instead of leading.

The Mistake: Struggling to Let Go

You know how to close deals, manage clients, and fix problems. That’s how you earned your promotion. But holding on too tightly can slow your team down and stop them from growing.

The signs are easy to miss at first:

You step in when things get tough
You give the answers instead of asking questions
You handle the work because it’s faster than explaining

It’s not about control. Often, it comes from pressure. You want quick results. But if you keep solving everything, your team won’t develop the confidence or skills to handle things on their own.

The Fix: Let Go to Grow

Letting go doesn’t mean walking away. It means guiding instead of grabbing the wheel. It means giving your team the chance to figure things out, even if it takes more time in the beginning.

Here’s what you can do:

Delegate clearly, but let them handle the process
Allow room for mistakes, then turn them into learning
Ask, “What’s your plan?” instead of saying, “Here’s what to do”

When your team starts thinking and acting independently, they grow. And so do you.

Coaching Prompt

Ask yourself:
What am I still holding on to that I need to hand over?

Write this down:

What tasks am I still doing that someone else could take on?
What’s one thing I can delegate this week?
Who on my team needs more space to try, even if it’s not perfect?

Your Leadership Action

Consider doing these:

1
Choose one task or decision you usually manage yourself.
2
Explain the outcome you expect, not the steps to get there.
3
Let a team member take the lead.
4
Follow up with a short conversation: What worked? What could be improved?

When you step back, you give your team room to step up.

A Shift Worth Making

Letting go of control isn’t a weakness. It’s a skill. The more space you give your team to take ownership, the stronger they become. Focus on building their thinking, not just their output. That’s where real growth happens for them, and for you.