As a coach and talent developer in the credit union world, I get a front-row seat to the real conversations leaders are having—the ones behind the boardroom doors. Not long ago, someone asked me, "What themes keep popping up in your coaching conversations?" I didn’t even blink: it’s the collision zone where operations meet strategy . . . and where relational leadership bumps heads with transactional leadership.
If I could sketch it out, it would look like this: a clean line where frontline staff spend 1% of their time on strategy, and CEOs spend 99%; with managers, VPs, and executives stepping up naturally along the way.
But let’s be real: it’s never that neat.
Instead, many executives are still clutching operational tasks that could (and should!) be passed on. Why? Plenty of reasons—most of them are more emotional than tactical. Let’s unpack a few:
1. "I don’t have time to train."
Every leader’s favorite excuse. But here’s the math: a task that takes 30 minutes a week adds up to 26 hours a year (that’s three and a quarter full workdays!). Training someone might take two hours over four weeks. Two hours now = 26 hours saved later, plus a more confident, capable team member. It's not just smart—it’s essential leadership math.
2. "I want to stay connected."
Of course, you do—operations are where the action is. It feels good to knock out a task and feel that immediate sense of accomplishment. But leaders: strategy is action. It's the action that shapes the future. If you’re stuck checking boxes, you’re not building anything new. Make sure you’re putting your time where it counts most.
3. "What if they don’t need me anymore?"
Ah, the silent fear. If I’m not knee-deep in the day-to-day, will they still see my value? Here's the tough love: If your worth is tied to completing tasks rather than creating vision, it’s time for a serious gut check. Real leadership requires letting go. Growth requires stepping up. Fear keeps you small.
4. "If I’m the only one who knows how, i’m indispensable."
Spoiler alert: Knowledge hoarding is a dead-end strategy. It doesn’t make you powerful—it makes you a bottleneck. It isolates you. It drags your team down. Healthy organizations build cultures where knowledge sharing isn’t just encouraged—it’s celebrated. When everyone has access to knowledge, you unlock innovation, speed, and service excellence.
It’s like that old children's song, The Magic Penny:
"Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more..."
Swap "love" for "knowledge." Same truth, bigger stakes. Hoard it, and it shrinks. Share it, and it explodes.
Ready for some help?
Humanedge is a program we’re offering in partnership with George Hofheimer to develop aspiring CEOs—and we don’t mince words about leadership. If you’re looking for executive coaching to help break the operational cycle and grow your strategic confidence, let’s talk!
Here’s the bottom line:
- Share what you know.
- Delegate what you can.
- Spend your time where it matters.
- Trust your people—and yourself—to grow.
Building a high-trust, high-growth organization starts with leaders who aren’t afraid to let go of "doing" so they can focus on "building."
At Humanidei, we partner with credit union leaders who are ready to elevate their impact—whether that means developing inclusive leadership skills, preparing for CEO succession, deepening emotional intelligence, or aligning culture with strategy. From executive coaching and leadership pipelines to succession planning and DEI consulting, we help teams grow from the inside out—so they’re ready for whatever’s next. Let’s talk about how we can help your team move from transactional to transformational.
