Talent Tales with Sree: The Leader Who Chose to Work on the Business

In the early days of her boutique consulting startup, Asha was everywhere: chasing invoices, responding to client emails at midnight, and revising slide decks for every single pitch. She believed that working in the trenches—“in the business”—proved her commitment as a hands-on leader. But as the company began to scale, she found herself drowning in the daily minutiae, unable to see the bigger picture.

One afternoon, after a particularly hectic client meeting, Asha had a realization: the business needed a visionary, not just a doer. She made a bold choice to step back from day-to-day execution and focus on overarching strategy. It wasn’t easy at first. She delegated tasks to her newly appointed operations head, restructured her calendar to include “thinking hours,” and invested in systems that automated repetitive processes.

Within a few months, the impact was unmistakable. Freed from constant firefighting, Asha dedicated her energy to securing high-value partnerships, expanding into new markets, and shaping the next level of leadership within her team. Operating systems and capable managers took care of the details while Asha guided the company’s future.

When asked how she unlocked this level of growth, Asha smiled. “I realized that running a business effectively means empowering others to excel at the details, so I can nurture the vision. It’s not about walking away from responsibility—it’s about stepping back to see the full landscape.”

Talent Takeaway

When a leader stops doing every task themselves and begins working on the business—planning, innovating, and guiding—the entire organization benefits. Strategic thinking shapes the future, while capable teams handle the present. By learning to delegate and trust her people, Asha built a company poised for sustainable growth.