“Why is it every time I ask for a pair of hands, they come with a brain attached?”
– Henry Ford (grumbling into the abyss of industrial-age micromanagement)

Let’s call that quote what it is: a vintage gem of control-freakery. It’s the kind of thinking that treats employees like machine parts—meant to perform, not think. And sadly, this mentality didn’t retire with Model T production. Too many leaders today are still running their teams like assembly lines.

You ask for execution, not insight. You want output, not ownership.
And then you wonder why nobody steps up.

If you’re managing people like they’re extensions of your hands instead of partners with brains, you’re not leading. You’re just babysitting—with a laptop and a caffeine habit.

And here’s the part nobody says out loud: being essential might get you thank-you emails, but it will not get you promoted.

This is a hill I’m building a whole book on—coming later this year—called Be the CEO of Your Area.

Here’s the line that sums it up:

If people can’t move without you, they’ll thank you.
If they move better because of you, they’ll promote you.

Let that sink in.

If You’re the Bottleneck, You’re Not the Boss

One of the first things I tell clients is this: you’ve become the hub. Everything comes into you, everything goes out from you, and every decision is by you.

It might feel good—like you’re in control, like you’re needed. But here’s the truth. If every spoke runs through your calendar, your brain, your inbox—you are the bottleneck.

And bottlenecks don’t get promoted. They get bypassed.

Here’s What Real Leadership Looks Like

Real leaders don’t get high off being the fixer. They get clear on their value—and then build a system around it.

They focus on how to:

• Design themselves out of the day-to-day

• Build a team that can run without constant oversight

• Create clarity so that people move, even when the leader’s not in the room

They lead with vision, trust, and accountability. Not fire drills, Slack pings, and “just checking in.”

Because leadership isn’t about doing the work better. It’s about making the work better for everyone else.

The Cold Truth? You Might Be in Your Own Way

Look, if you’re constantly answering, fixing, jumping in, rewriting, correcting—of course you feel essential. But being essential is a trap. It’s the illusion of control at the cost of growth.

You’re not a hero. You’re a single point of failure.

And no one wants to build a business around that.

Ready to Step Out of the Weeds and Lead Like a Real Executive?

If you’re tired of being buried in the day-to-day, if your team only runs when you’re pushing every button, it’s time for a shift.

Let’s build the system that makes you less essential—so you can become more impactful.

The book’s coming soon. The coaching’s ready now.

📩 Reach out and let’s talk. You’ve done the hustle. Now let’s build the leadership engine that gets you promoted.