The Trust Involved in Stepping Away

Spoiler: It’s not just about trusting someone else. It’s about trusting yourself, too.

Let’s talk about one of the spiciest leadership muscles to develop: trusting yourself enough to step away. Maybe it’s delegating a task, maybe it’s taking a much needed break or sabbatical, or maybe it’s prepping to hand off the business to new leadership.

Whatever the reason, stepping back or away can be tough to swallow for most leaders.

Image via unsplash.

Because yes, trusting someone else to take care of your business while you’re out (whether it’s for a vacation, parental leave, or an actual pause — what a concept!) is huge. You’re handing over your passwords, your workflows, your “this is how I do it” quirks. You’re trusting another human to hold what you’ve built with care.

But equally (and sometimes more) challenging?
🔮 Trusting yourself that you can step away.
🪐 Trusting that things won’t fall apart without you.
🌟 Trusting that you’ve built something sturdy enough to hum along while you rest.

You’ve probably gotten pretty used to being the safety net — the fixer, the one with the keys to every drawer, the person everyone comes to when they need something. So when it’s time to loosen the grip, even temporarily, it can bring up some sneaky stories:

• “If I’m not here, everything will fall apart.”

• “They’ll realize they don’t need me.”

• “I’ll lose momentum or progress.”

• “What if I like the break too much and don’t want to come back?”

(That last one hits a little too close, amiright?)

Here’s the thing: stepping away is an act of trust in your leadership.

It says, “I’ve built systems and relationships that can function without me hovering or micromanaging.” It’s also an act of trust in your future self — that when you come back, you’ll be ready to re-engage from a more grounded, creative, and sustainable place. Sounds nice, right?

And… It’s an act of trust in your team (even if that’s just one amazing admin or a stand-in operations partner). You’re saying, “I believe you can handle this.” And that belief is rocket fuel for their confidence and your company culture. Letting loose of the reins gives your team room to grow into the leaders you know they can be.

So maybe the next time you schedule time off, or hand the reins to a Fractional Operations Partner (hi 👋), take a deep breath and remind yourself:

You can step away.
You can trust the people you’ve chosen.
And most importantly — You can trust yourself to let things be okay.

Thinking about taking a real break — like, one where you don’t check your email?

Let’s make sure your business is ready to hum along without you. Book a call to chat more.

Hey! I’m Charlie — Your Practice Partner.
I help human-centered group practices thrive. More about me.