248. The Illusion of Letting Go
After coaching Ben and Cody from Five Star Interpreting, Adrienne and Emily are back to debrief the conversation — and dig into what it really takes to evolve from a hands-on founder to a strategic leader.
If you’ve stepped out of the doing but still find yourself making all the decisions, this debrief will hit home.
Here’s what we cover:
✅ The illusion of being “out of the weeds” — and why decision fatigue proves otherwise
✅ How to train your team to spot problems and solve them
✅ Letting go of control… without letting go of clarity
✅ Navigating leadership with a co-founder who sees the world differently
✅ Why self-awareness and communication tools (like the Enneagram) are game-changers
This is an honest, behind-the-scenes reflection on what it takes to truly design your business — so that the right people are solving the right problems at the right time.
Plus, we unpack the metaphor of bikes vs. race cars — and why growth speed can look different even when the destination is the same.
Top 5 Takeaways:
You're Not Out Until You're Unnecessary – If every decision still needs your input, you’re not free yet.
Build Problem-Solvers, Not Just Task-Doers – Your team needs the skills and autonomy to act before they ask.
Shared Vision = Smoother Roads – When co-founders stay aligned, everything else moves faster.
The Enneagram Reveals More Than You Think – Understanding motivation helps reduce conflict and build trust.
Compassion Over Control – Assume your partner is on your side, even when you disagree about the path forward.
Read the transcript here
Chapters:
00:56 – Why “not doing” isn’t the same as “not deciding”
04:42 – Team autonomy starts with training and trust
08:14 – The dashboard difference: measuring + interpreting data
13:00 – Getting team leads to own problems and solutions
17:22 – Working with opposite strengths + communication styles
23:05 – How the Enneagram shifted their partnership
27:36 – Bikes vs. race cars: the real pace of progress
32:04 – Final takeaways + what this means for your business
Connect with Adrienne:@adriennedorison
Learn more about Run Like Clockwork: www.runlikeclockwork.com