I am trying to step back from daily operations to prepare the business for a clean exit, but during our Level 10 Meetings™ the leadership team constantly brings tactical issues to IDS® that drag me back into the weeds. How do I break this founder-dependency during our weekly pulse?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If your leadership team is still looking to you to solve tactical operational issues during IDS®, you are not building a transferable business. To achieve a clean exit, the business must be able to run and solve problems without you. You must change your behavior in the meeting immediately. When a tactical issue is raised, resist the urge to jump in and solve it. Even if you know the answer, remain silent. Force your Integrator and the rest of the leadership team to process the issue. If the team looks to you for approval, redirect the question. Ask the team what they think the solution is and let them debate it. Your role in the Level 10 Meeting™ during this transition phase is to act as an advisor, not the chief problem solver. Additionally, work with your Integrator to audit the Issues List before the meeting starts. If an issue is purely tactical and should be handled within a specific department, remove it from the leadership list. By stepping back and allowing your team to struggle, debate, and ultimately solve issues on their own, you build their leadership muscle. This is the only way to prove to a potential buyer that your business has enterprise value that exists independently of your day-to-day involvement.