A founder I’ve been in conversation over the last few months sent me an email last week explaining why we hadn’t been able to talk.
“I am so overwhelmed with work I don’t have time to do anything except work. It’s not a good situation but we are slammed and it’s all hands on deck.”
This isn’t an isolated case. Another founder once shared that he makes around 300 decisions a day, with his team relying on him for everything. Many of the people I work with push themselves to exhaustion, neglect relationships, and even develop health issues.
Does that resonate?
It doesn’t have to be that way.
The Cost of Overwhelm
The first step is acknowledging the cost of this constant state of overwhelm. Founders and leaders often find themselves in a vicious cycle of decision-making and fire-fighting, leaving little room for strategic thinking or personal well-being. This not only affects their health but also impacts the overall performance and growth of their organizations.
Change is Possible
Here are few true stories from my coaching experience.
The Sales Leader
About four years ago, I coached a sales leader responsible for a significant portion of sales in a multi-billion dollar organization. She was working 60-70 hour weeks and felt perpetually overwhelmed. Within a few months, she cut her workload by 20 to 30 hours a week. This reduction in hours allowed her to focus on creating her next career move within the organization.
She created a new function in the organization with her as the leader. She happily sits in that role today.
The Founder
A founder I coached in 2023 was able to step back from daily operations, entrusting his team with these responsibilities. This transition enabled him to focus on strategic growth, eventually leading to his company being acquired. Now, he is focused on being the heir apparent to the CEO role of the combined organization. And he has reunited with his wife in the process.
The Company Owner
One company owner I have been talking with, after struggling for years, today has virtually no day-to-day decision-making duties. His team handles operations, and the business is thriving more than he ever imagined. He has achieved both financial success and personal freedom.
I’m now working with him on what he wants to create next. I asked him how he got where he is today and it came down to one simple belief.
The Key Differences
So, what sets these successful transformations apart from those stuck in the overwhelm?
Every one of them was different. But in every case, the leader was able to let go of things that at first looked mandatory.
It was that letting go that led to massive and easy change.
Let’s Talk
Does this resonate?
I’m doing a research project on founders and their expectations around exits—how they will get there and what they will get from them.
If you are a founder within three years of an anticipated exit, respond “Talk,” to set up an interview.
As thanks I will share the results in a virtual event on September 17, in which I will also moderate a panel of founders and advisors who have had dozens of exits among them.
You will be in a virtual room filled with people just like you, and get a chance to have questions answered by people who have been there.
“Things” Don’t Settle Down. You Do.
You don’t have to be consumed by work 24/7. But most people have a hard time letting go on their own. And the things they try—time management, productivity hacks—just tend to make the problem worse.
There is another way.
When you’re ready, let’s talk.
#exit #founder #founders #overwhelm
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