Empowering your team to rise begins with letting go.

This is one of the most difficult, yet essential, transitions for leaders aspiring to delegate effectively.

In my previous blog titled, “How to Be More Productive When Everything Feels Like a Priority” I explored how leaders can become more productive by improving their prioritization and time management. One of the most powerful ways to free up time for the activities that truly matter – those only you can do, or those that energize you – is through effective delegation.

But before we discuss how to delegate (we’ll dive into that in my next blog), we need to talk about what makes delegation possible in the first place: trust. You can’t effectively delegate tasks to your team if you don’t trust your team members to handle those tasks. Likewise, your team members won’t feel confident or empowered if they sense you’re unwilling to let go.

From Doer to Leader: The Trust Hurdle

In my executive leadership coaching, I often work with leaders who have risen through the ranks because of their technical excellence, reliability, and ability to get things done. But as they move into senior leadership roles, the very traits that made them successful start to become barriers to their team’s efficiency and effectiveness.

One of the toughest transitions is moving from being a “doer” to being a leader. And one of the hardest parts of that transition? Letting go.

Why? Because control feels safe. Many leaders fear that if they hand off responsibility, things won’t be done the “right” way – or at least not their way. They worry about mistakes, missteps, or missed details. And so they hold on tightly, thinking they’re preserving quality and consistency.

But here’s the problem: if you never let go, you become the bottleneck. Your team’s productivity slows down because everything must run through you. Over time, this will limit your company’s growth – and potentially lead to your own burnout. I’ve seen it happen again and again, and I’ve experienced it myself.

Learning to Let Go: A Lesson from the Cockpit

Letting go isn’t a one-time decision – it’s a process.

During my 25-year military career, I had the privilege of training dozens of FA-18 pilots as a flight instructor. In the early stages, I sat in the back seat of the aircraft with a control stick of my own. I used it to demonstrate maneuvers and correct errors before they became dangerous.

But at some point, I had to let go of the stick.

I had to give my students space to try things on their own. Yes, I occasionally had to take control briefly to prevent a critical error – but gradually, as they grew in confidence and skill, I released my grip more and more.

Eventually, they flew solo – first as wingmen, then as flight leads, and ultimately as instructors themselves. And that’s when the real magic happened. The power of exponential growth kicked in.

It’s the same in any organization. If you want your team to soar to new heights, you have to let go of the stick and trust them to fly.

Empowering Your Team to Fly

Once you’ve crossed the mental hurdle of being willing to let go, the next step is to empower your team.

Empowerment isn’t just about giving someone a task. It’s about giving them ownership. It’s about helping them feel responsible for mission success.

And at the core of empowerment is trust.

We often think of trust as something our team members must earn. But trust goes both ways. It’s just as important that you demonstrate trust in them.

So how do you empower your team in practical terms? I recommend two simple steps.

Step 1: Involve Them in Developing Solutions

Don’t just give your team instructions – give them opportunities for input.

• Ask for their help. Involve them early in problem-solving discussions.
• Ask how they would solve the problem. You might be surprised by the quality (and creativity) of their ideas.
• Ask about risks or hazards. This helps develop their judgment and shows you value their insight.

When your team has a voice in shaping the plan, they take greater ownership of the outcome. They become partners in the mission – not just task-doers.

Step 2: Support Them in Executing Solutions

Once your team has a plan, support them in bringing it to life.

• Delegate intentionally. (We’ll dive into this in more detail in the next blog.) For now, here’s a teaser: great leaders focus on what needs to be done, and let their teams figure out how to do it.
• Shield them from distractions. As a leader, one of your most important jobs is to protect your team’s time and focus. Keep the noise and low-priority interruptions away.
• Debrief regularly. Create space to check in. Discuss progress. Problem-solve barriers. Celebrate wins. Learn from setbacks. Growth comes from reflection, not just action.

Conclusion

Letting go is not about losing control – it’s about creating capacity. It’s about equipping others to rise. When you let go and empower your team, you multiply your impact. You stop being the ceiling, and you become the lift.

So here’s the challenge: take a hard look at what you’re holding onto. Are there responsibilities you could pass on? Are there decisions you could invite others into?

Until next time, here’s to letting go, lifting others, and teaching your team to fly.

If you need a coach to guide you through this process, please reach out!