Thinking Like A Boss
Why You Need to Fire Yourself from the Weeds
Let’s be honest about something. The “weeds” are comfortable.
The weeds are where the tangible work happens. It’s the inbox zero. It’s the formatting of the slide deck. It’s the tweaking of the spreadsheet formulas until they sing.
When you are in the weeds, you feel productive. You can point to a list of things you did today. It feels safe because it is familiar. Most of us started our businesses or consultancies because we were really, really good at doing the work in the weeds.
But here is the hard truth I’ve had to learn (and re-learn): You cannot grow a business while you are hiding in it.
The “Super-Doer” Trap
The biggest bottleneck in your business right now isn’t the market, and it isn’t your clients. It might be your own competence.
When you are a “Super-Doer,” you over-function. You step in to fix things before they break. You hoard tasks because “it’s just faster if I do it myself.” You mistake busyness for business.
But while you are down there clearing the path, no one is steering the ship.
“Thinking like a boss” doesn’t mean you stop working. It means you change the elevation of your work. It requires a shift from execution (how do I get this done?) to strategy (should this be done, and does it have to be me?).
Signs You Need to “Fire Yourself”
How do you know if you are stuck in the doer trap?
You are the answer to every question. If your team (or clients) can’t move forward without checking with you first, you aren’t leading; you’re bottlenecking.
You feel resentful of your own schedule. You’re working long hours but feel like you’re not making traction on the “big stuff” like vision or growth.
You are doing $50/hour work. If you are the CEO, but you’re spending three hours fighting with a Canva template, you are costing your business money.
The Shift: Leading from Your Strengths, Not Your Guilt
Moving out of the weeds feels risky. It feels like losing control.
But this is where we go back to basics. We have to strip away the tasks that don’t belong to you so you can reclaim the energy for the ones that do.
This isn’t about becoming an aloof executive in an ivory tower. It’s about being human enough to admit that your capacity is finite. You can do anything, but you cannot do everything.
Start with the Map
If you are ready to fire yourself from the weeds, you first need to see where you are actually spending your energy.
I created the Leadership Growth Areas Workbook exactly for this moment. It includes a “Leadership Wheel” exercise that helps you visualize your current capacity. It asks you to honestly rate where you are showing up—is it in the strategic vision, or is it in the daily grind?
You might find that you are rating yourself high on “Execution” but low on “Vision.” That’s not a failure; that’s data. It’s a sign that your next season of growth involves stepping back, not leaning in.
Your Permission Slip
So, this week, I want you to look at your to-do list with a critical eye. Find one thing—just one—that you are doing out of habit or guilt.
Delegate it. Delete it. Or just decide it doesn’t need to be perfect.
Fire yourself from that task so you can hire yourself as the boss.