Leadership Without Letting Go

n our business, the founding generation is still very involved even though they say they want to step back. They attend key meetings, approve final decisions, and give strong opinions on strategy. Their experience is valuable, but it leaves little room for younger leaders to fully grow into their roles. This is not just about control it’s about identity. For the older generation, the company is part of who they are. Letting go is emotional. For the younger generation, this creates a strange kind of leadership. We are expected to act like leaders, but we know we don’t have the final say. We try to show initiative, but often wait for approval. This overlap creates confusion for employees too they don’t always know who to follow. Performance suffers because responsibility is shared, but not clearly divided. We talk about transition, but without action, it becomes a story we repeat instead of a process we follow. Letting go doesn’t mean walking away it means trusting others to lead. It means allowing mistakes, offering guidance when asked, and stepping back when needed. We need to redesign our leadership structure with clear roles and real authority for new leaders. If we don’t, we’ll stay in a cycle of half-transitions and missed opportunities. Leadership is not something you hold forever. It’s something you pass on when the time is right and that time has to be chosen, not just waited for.