Leadership and management aren’t the same thing. A lot of founders love leading-casting vision, making big moves, rallying people to a cause. But managing? That’s where the energy dies.

If you’ve ever walked into your office pumped about the day, only to be hit with a fire, a team issue, or a “quick” check-in that drains 90 minute, you know what I mean. But here’s the truth: if managing your team is draining, it’s not the people, it’s the system.

Most “managing” is really just cleaning up messes that better systems would’ve prevented. That’s why great leaders invest in building systems that scale people. Clear scorecards. Weekly rhythms. Ownership standards. Culture reinforcement. The goal isn’t to have fewer people problems. It’s to build fewer dependencies.