A Leader’s Journey of Letting Go and Growing
When we talk about leadership, we often picture someone steering the ship, making the tough calls, and ensuring the team stays on course. But what happens when that sense of responsibility becomes so heavy it starts pulling the leader down?
This is a story of one such leader—let’s call her Maya.
Maya worked in an incredibly sensitive industry where accuracy and performance were non-negotiable. Mistakes could cost people their jobs. And because Maya cared deeply for her team, she made it her personal mission to ensure everyone performed at their best. She monitored tasks closely, double-checked their work, and stayed available around the clock—”just in case someone needed her.”
It wasn’t about control. It was about care.
The invisible weight
She believed that by keeping such a tight grip, she was protecting her team—shielding them from failure, and ultimately, from losing their jobs. But what she couldn’t see at the time was the cost of carrying that invisible weight.
While she was busy keeping an eye on everyone else, Maya had stopped checking in with the most important person—herself.
Her own work began to suffer. Projects she once enjoyed felt draining. Focus slipped. Time for self-care or self-development became a distant memory. The stress that built up from constantly monitoring others left her exhausted, anxious, and disconnected from the passion that had once driven her.
When we first started working together, Maya described herself as “constantly on edge.” There was a deep fear underneath it all: What if I let go and something goes wrong? What if someone fails because I wasn’t there to catch it?
We explored that fear together, not to dismiss it—but to understand it.
Awareness and growth
What became clear was that Maya had equated her team’s success with her constant presence. Somewhere along the way, “being a good leader” had become synonymous with “being a safety net.” And while her intentions were rooted in care, the approach was unsustainable—for both her and her team.
We started small.
Maya practiced stepping back, first for an hour, then for a day. She communicated openly with her team about what she was trying to shift and why. Slowly, she began to see something remarkable—her team wanted to take more ownership. They appreciated the trust. They stepped up.
And as they did, Maya reclaimed something she hadn’t felt in a long time: space.
Space to think strategically. Space to invest in her own growth. Space to reconnect with why she loved this work in the first place. She started dedicating time to reflection, learning, and even simple self-care—things that had been sacrificed in the name of duty.
True empowerment
Her leadership transformed from constant oversight to true empowerment. She learned that caring for her team didn’t mean shielding them from every mistake. It meant creating an environment where they could learn, grow, and thrive without her needing to hover.
Today, Maya leads from a place of calm strength. Her team is more confident and capable, and she’s rediscovered her own energy and joy in the work.
Her journey is a reminder that leadership is about building the systems and trust that allow everyone, including yourself, to rise.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do as a leader is to step back, so others—and you—can step forward.
🌿 Reflection for Leaders:
If you find yourself constantly holding everything together, ask yourself:
- What would happen if I trusted my team a little more?
- What am I sacrificing in the process of trying to protect everyone else?
- What could I create space for—if I let go, even just a little?
👉 Reach out for a conversation. You don’t have to carry it all alone.