Your business should be growing. Your team should be moving forward. But something is slowing things down.
What if that something is you?
How Leaders Become the Bottleneck
A bottleneck happens when everything must pass through a single point before moving forward. In business, that point is often the leader. It happens when:
- Decisions stall at the top – If every decision, big or small, needs your approval, your team can’t move forward without you.
- You’re micromanaging the work – Holding onto tasks that should be delegated limits your team’s ability to operate effectively.
- You resist change or new ideas – Growth requires adaptability. Saying “no” too often can hold your business back.
- You’re overwhelmed and unavailable – A constantly overbooked leader doesn’t have time to provide the clarity and direction their team needs.
How to Remove the Bottleneck (Without Losing Control)
If you’re the bottleneck, here’s how to fix it:
- Identify where you’re blocking progress – Ask your team where things slow down. Their perspective is invaluable.
- Empower your team to make decisions – Not every decision needs to go through you. Give team members authority and trust them to take action.
- Delegate more—and trust the process – Effective delegation is about increasing efficiency, not just offloading tasks.
- Create systems to reduce dependency – If people are constantly waiting on you, implement processes that allow them to move forward.
The best leaders create an environment where progress happens with or without them. If your business feels stuck, ask yourself: Am I the one slowing it down? If the answer is yes, take action now.
