Operator to CEO · 2 min read
Stop being the default answer.
A manager asks a question. You know the answer, so you give it. The immediate problem disappears. But if that pattern repeats all day, your availability becomes part of the operating model.
Notice what keeps coming back
For one working week, keep a simple record of the decisions that reach you. Separate decisions that truly require your authority from those that reach you because the team lacks context, confidence, or a clear boundary.
Look for one recurring, reversible decision to transfer first. Scheduling adjustments, routine customer recovery, or a local purchasing choice may offer a starting point. Decisions involving safety, legal obligations, or major commitments need the appropriate controls and escalation.
Define the decision, not every step
Name who owns the decision, the outcome you expect, and the limits they must respect. Explain what information matters and when they should bring you in. Ownership is difficult to exercise when the boundaries exist only in your head.
Instead of saying ‘handle customer complaints,’ agree on what the manager can resolve, what they can spend, what must be recorded, and which situations require escalation. A clear boundary can give someone more freedom than a vague instruction to take initiative.
Ask for a recommendation
When the next question arrives, pause before solving it. Ask: ‘What do you recommend, and what are you weighing?’ Listen for the reasoning. If something is missing, add context rather than immediately taking the decision back.
This is not a test designed to catch someone out. Make that explicit. The goal is to help them practice judgment while support is available. If the decision is time-sensitive, address the immediate need and return to the learning afterward.
Review the judgment together
Set a short review after the decision. What happened? Which assumptions held? What would they do differently? Distinguish a reasonable decision with an imperfect outcome from a decision made without the right information.
Your first measure of progress is simple: can this person handle the next similar situation with less help? Start with one decision, build confidence, and expand responsibility deliberately.