They Want to Help but Don’t Know How

You run a growing and successful business. You’ve hit some pretty amazing milestones with revenue and even recognition in your network. Because of your growth you’ve grown to over 100 employees, and with that comes a new set of challenges. One of the biggest frustrations is that it feels like your team is waiting on you for… everything.

Every direction.

Every decision.

Every next step.

It’s tempting to think they’re lazy or not bought in.

But what if they’re not slacking off?

What if they actually want to help, but they just don’t know how?

Hi, I’m James and you’re listening to the Leadership in 5 podcast, where leadership meets execution, one focused episode at a time.

It would be so much easier if people just knew what you wanted and where you’d like some help… Basically, if they could just know what you were thinking?? :)

It’s probably a good thing they’re not in your head LOL,

Let me tell you what I see in a lot of founder-led companies… especially when they hit the 100-employee mark.

You’re business is growing. Maybe rapidly.

You’ve made some great hires… smart and talented people.

You’ve elevated some of them to department heads, maybe even a leadership team.

But…

You’re still the source of gravity where everything orbits around you.

You’ve delegated tasks

You’ve made yourself available

You’ve told them what matters

But you haven’t given them ownership.

Haven’t always been crystal clear about your expectations.

And you’ve dropped the ball with accountability…

And so they stall.

They hesitate.

They play it safe.

Listen… it’s not because they’re lazy.

It’s because they’re lost.

Your team wants to contribute.

They want to win.

But when the scoreboard keeps changing, or no one’s sure where to play—

They freeze.

And here’s the hard part.

The longer they wait,

The more frustrated you get.

And the more reactive they become.

That’s the cycle:

- You feel alone.

- They feel confused.

You say, “Why don’t they step up?”

They say, “Why doesn’t he just tell us what he wants?”

This isn’t an employee engagement problem.

This is a clarity problem.

So let me ask you a few hard questions:

Do your people know the top three company or department goals this quarter?

Do they understand how their role connects to those goals?

Are they getting weekly feedback that helps them adjust, not just stay busy?

Are you delegating authority — or just assigning tasks?

Have you created a structure that causes clarity — or just made yourself available?

Because being available isn’t the same as being clear.

And being busy doesn’t mean your team is productive.

So if you feel like your team isn’t helping you move the company forward,

Don’t assume they don’t care.

Assume they don’t know how to win.

And that’s your job to fix.

Because they want to help.

They just need to know how.

And that’s worth thinking about today.