What Would You Risk to Let Go?

What would you risk to give up control?

The surprising truth is most leaders desperately want to.

There’s a fascinating paradox at the top of organizations. Some leaders grip their companies so tightly they suffocate the very talent they hired to help them grow—yet secretly, these same leaders are often drowning in the weight of that control. Meanwhile, others have discovered that real power comes from letting go.

It’s no coincidence that films like “Babygirl” resonate so deeply with audiences. They tap into something primal about power dynamics—how a high-powered CEO might risk everything to surrender control. The character’s actions reveal a truth we rarely discuss: the people who hold the tightest grip often have the strongest craving to let go.

Think about it. In the boardroom, these executives command billion-dollar deals and set the tempo for entire industries. They carry the weight of decisions that affect thousands of lives. It’s exhausting. That’s why there’s something profoundly liberating about that moment of relinquishment—it speaks to a deeper truth about what leaders actually desire.

The Control Illusion

I’ve seen it countless times—the leader who believes they should have all the answers, make every decision, and always be the smartest person in the room. This dangerous myth breeds micromanagement, stifles innovation, and creates a ceiling on growth that no organization can break through.

Think about trying to hold sand. The tighter you squeeze, the more it slips through your fingers. Leadership works the same way—the harder you try to control everything, the less control you actually have.

The best leaders don’t just tolerate strong team members; they actively seek them out. They surround themselves with people who challenge them, who push back, who take ownership in ways they never could themselves. They understand that leadership isn’t about being the hero; it’s about building a system where others can step up and shine.

Surrendering to Strength

So what does it look like to let go in a way that strengthens, rather than weakens, your leadership?

1. Know What You Suck At – Don’t pretend to have all the answers. The best leaders admit where they don’t and hire accordingly. Then, they actually listen to those people.
2. Empower Instead of Overpower – If you feel the need to make every decision, your team isn’t actually leading anything. Give them the authority to make moves without waiting for your permission.
3. Get Comfortable Being Challenged – If no one ever questions you, you’re surrounded by “yes”-people or your team is too afraid to speak up (I learned this the hard way). Real leaders invite—and act on—constructive conflict.
4. Delegate, Don’t Abdicate – Letting go doesn’t mean disappearing. It means putting the right people in place and then actually trusting them to do what they do best.

My Own Surrender

For too long, I was frustrated with our organization’s performance. I kept trying to fix everything myself, gripping tightly to the idea that I had to be the one to make it all work. But I was hitting a wall—hard. The truth? Part of me was desperately craving to let go. I just didn’t know how to release my grip without feeling like I was failing at leadership.

It wasn’t until I brought the right people on the bus—team members I could trust to lead—and found a great coach to help with leadership and culture that things began to shift. And while I know what to do, actually doing it is a whole lot harder.

Letting go hasn’t been easy. It’s terrifying to surrender control. It’s hard to believe that an organization can do a total 180. But I’m starting to see the light—early signs of progres—and in doing so, I’m learning that true leadership isn’t about control; it’s about trust.

Power in the Release

Leaders who refuse to be led end up exhausted, stressed, and secretly longing for someone else to take the weight. They create bottlenecks not because they want to, but because they don’t know how to satisfy both their desire for excellence and their need for relief. The ones who break through this pattern, who understand the value of stepping back and surrendering control in the right ways, are the ones who build lasting, scalable success while reclaiming their own energy and purpose.

So, I’ll leave you with these questions: Where are you gripping too tightly? Where do you secretly wish someone would take the reins? And what might become possible—for your organization, your team, and yourself—if you finally embraced that desire to let go?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Bryan