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\n\t\tOpinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.\t<\/p>\n
Business owners pride themselves on productivity.<\/p>\n
We answer messages late at night, even though we\u2019re not supposed to, we take unscheduled meetings in between scheduled meetings as we\u2019re sitting in traffic, we reply to emails within minutes and step into conversations that \u2014 let\u2019s face it \u2014 don\u2019t always require us being there.<\/p>\n
We stay reachable at all times and wear that \u201caccess\u201d as a badge of honor, convinced it proves we are responsible and committed.<\/p>\n
I, too, have done this more times than I care to admit, because it feels like leadership.<\/p>\n
But I am going to say something you may not like: It is not. Ouch.<\/i><\/p>\n
Did that hurt? You\u2019re likely a fellow entrepreneur, and that hit too close to home. The good news is this is far more common than you think, and there\u2019s a solution (read on).<\/p>\n
I recently surveyed 100+ established business owners with over $1 million in annual revenue, and their #1 behavioral challenge was \u201cI\u2019m constantly available.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n
Having built and scaled businesses across two continents, I recognized this pattern quickly. The business owners who struggle to grow are rarely the least capable. More often, they\u2019re the most reachable.<\/p>\n
That is the paradox.<\/p>\n
Early in your entrepreneurial journey, availability gives you an edge. It\u2019s logical: You stay close to customers to solve problems quickly, and you think that makes you indispensable.<\/p>\n
I remember periods in my own businesses when I knew about every client issue before anyone else did, and that awareness felt powerful. If something went wrong, I was already involved, and that gave me a sense of control that was hard to let go of.<\/p>\n
Growth, however, changes the rules. As my mentor, Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, says, \u201cWhat got you here won\u2019t get you there\u201d \u2014 when revenue increases from $500,000 to $5 million, the team grows, and complexity rises, yet our behavior often stays the same.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sure you can relate. Clearing your inbox feels productive, yet the underlying patterns that created those messages remain untouched (aka, just wait until tomorrow morning \u2014 you\u2019re back to square one!) That is the trap.<\/p>\n
Teams take cues from you. If you tackle something that needs a decision to be made too soon, you might feel that you did well in taking care of it so quickly, but others stop developing judgment for themselves.<\/i> And over time, smaller problems will reach you by habit<\/b> rather than necessity.<\/b><\/p>\n
Strategic thinking needs space, and that space disappears when every notification demands attention.<\/p>\n
Availability creates movement<\/i>, but not progress.<\/i> It\u2019s Brownian motion \u2014 there\u2019s a lot happening, but it\u2019s all erratic and without a concerted effort in a predictable direction.<\/p>\nThe emotional pull of being needed<\/h2>\n
Most founders remain constantly available for emotional reasons rather than strategic ones.<\/p>\n
When you reply instantly, you feel useful<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
When you solve quickly, you feel competent<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
When your name appears in every key decision, you feel in control<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
That can feel really, really good!<\/p>\n
But if you think about it, is it really control? Your illusion of control inadvertently trains the company to rely on your presence instead of its own capability. At some point, you realize something uncomfortable. You have become the bottleneck you once criticized.<\/p>\n
If this challenge were purely operational, the remedy would be simple. Delegate more responsibility and protect time for thinking. Strengthen processes so decisions do not funnel back to you.<\/p>\n
Alas, it is not.<\/p>\n
Experienced business owners understand this in theory, but they still resist doing it.<\/i><\/p>\n
Reduced availability feels like reduced value. Inside us all is an unspoken fear that if you are not visible in every detail, your relevance declines. If you are absent from decisions, standards slip, and you lose the momentum you worked so hard to build in your early years.<\/p>\n
So you fill up your calendar and keep finding different ways to prove you are indispensable, which feels safer in the short term.<\/p>\n
Living a life of zero regrets means changing your focus to intention<\/b> rather than action.<\/p>\n
In business terms, this means designing a company that performs well without your continuous presence. I, too, learned this the hard way. I had to slowly learn to separate my identity from my output so my self-worth wouldn\u2019t rest in my availability!<\/p>\n
Ask yourself a tough but important question: Is my availability strengthening the business, or simply nurturing my need for control?<\/b><\/p>\n
The strongest leaders I work with make deliberate adjustments. They slow down their responses on non-critical matters and allow time and space for others to think. They tolerate minor mistakes in the short run, so that in the long-term, the team\u2019s capability grows.<\/p>\n
At first, this feels uncomfortable. Trust me, I know! Watching someone take over as you\u2019re disconnected in the mountains with no cell signal can be disorienting at first. Checking in to see a team member wrestle with a problem you could solve quickly tests your restraint.<\/p>\n
Against your impulses, practice pausing in those moments. As this pattern takes hold, you will see confidence spreading through the team, and the business becomes steadier.<\/p>\n
Imagine you step away for two weeks and disconnect fully.<\/p>\n
What would possibly <\/i>break?<\/p>\n
If most operations stall, availability has become a crutch. If little changes, you are leading at a different level.<\/p>\n
Entrepreneurship often begins with hustle and intensity, but then quickly turns into restraint and clarity as you mature. Constant availability can look productive and feel noble, but very often masks fear. Business owners who scale sustainably accept being less available so their businesses grow stronger.<\/p>\n
That is leadership.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Business owners pride themselves on productivity.<\/p>\n
We answer messages late at night, even though we\u2019re not supposed to, we take unscheduled meetings in between scheduled meetings as we\u2019re sitting in traffic, we reply to emails within minutes and step into conversations that \u2014 let\u2019s face it \u2014 don\u2019t always require us being there.<\/p>\n
We stay reachable at all times and wear that \u201caccess\u201d as a badge of honor, convinced it proves we are responsible and committed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n