I once worked with a Nebraska leader who carried everything on his shoulders every decision, every conflict, every detail, every responsibility. He confessed during one session, “Isaiah, I’m afraid if I let go of anything, everything will fall apart.” I knew that fear well. It’s the fear of many leaders who care deeply. But I also knew the truth: nothing strong grows in soil that is clenched too tightly.
We talked about what control had cost him over the years. It cost him sleep, joy, presence, and even moments with his family he can never get back. He said he felt like he was always in a storm, even when things were going well. I asked him if he had ever seen a Nebraska field during harvest how the farmer doesn’t cling to the grain but releases it in order to gather more. He nodded slowly. That simple metaphor shifted something inside him.
Letting go didn’t mean losing leadership. It meant leading differently. It meant trusting people. Trusting systems. Trusting God. It meant delegating responsibilities he was never meant to carry alone. It meant giving his team a chance to rise instead of keeping them dependent on him. And strangely enough, the more he released, the more stable his business became.
A few months later he said, “I feel lighter. I feel like I can breathe again.” His team stepped up. His business grew. And he finally found the peace he’d been missing for years.
Nebraska leaders thrive when they stop trying to control everything and start stewarding what truly matters. That is when clarity returns. That is when growth begins.
If you feel weighed down by the pressure to hold everything together, I’d love to help you build from a place of trust instead of tension.
Button: Help Me Lead Lightly
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