Why Your Team Wants You to Ask for Help

It starts with a simple phrase: "I got this."

When a gap opens up in your organization, whether it’s a sudden departure or a dropped ball, the instinct for many leaders is to step into the breach. We want to be the shield that protects our team from the chaos. We think we are being helpful, but in reality, we might be becoming a bottleneck.

In our recent episode of the UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders podcast, I spoke with Joseph Zahaitis, who shared a story about this exact trap. After losing half of his team in a single week, Joseph tried to shoulder the entire workload himself to keep his remaining staff happy.

He thought he was being a servant leader. He eventually realized he was nearly burning himself out while depriving his team of the chance to step up.

The Opportunity Cost of Admin

I’ve felt this tension deeply within my own organization, On Purpose Adventures. I love being active and involved, but I found myself spiraling into roles that didn't fit, specifically the heavy administrative work.

Every moment I spend stuck behind a screen balancing accounts or managing the minutiae of daily schedules is a moment I am not doing what I was meant to do:

• Running high-impact team-building events.
• Speaking to and inspiring the next generation of cohesive leaders.
• Writing new books or creating new programs with Troy Hall, PhD I-CUDE.
• Getting a group of employees out in kayaks on Shem Creek to experience real connection with Nature Adventures.

As a leader, your "highest and best use" (as Joseph calls it) isn't in the paperwork.

It's in the purpose.

Empowerment Over Execution

The shift happened when I looked at the incredible people I’ve hired and trained. I realized that by hoarding the admin and the fix-it tasks, I was actually stealing opportunities from my team.

Whether it's managing our social media, handling client phone calls, or communicating with our employees, my team has room to grow. They want the responsibility. My job isn't to do their work. My job is to oversee them, check in frequently, and empower them to own their roles.

When we provide opportunities for our people to continuously learn and grow, we are taking a step toward building Cohesion Culture™️.

Are you shielding your team or stunting them?

In this episode, Joseph and I discuss why vulnerability is the ultimate form of street cred and how to transition from a pleasing personality to an effective leader.

Click here to listen to the full episode: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Let’s stop being shields and start being catalysts. How are you empowering your team to grow this week?