James Schramko Podcast Why Your Team Waits for Your Permission
Dec 16, 2025
Explore why teams often hesitate to take initiative, revealing a common issue of workflow design. Learn about the hub-and-spoke model and how it creates dependency on the founder. Discover practical examples like implementing refund and budget filters to empower your team. Shift focus from being a decision-maker to an architect of decisions, freeing you up for growth. Uncover strategies that encourage independence and improve team dynamics.
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You Built The Bottleneck
- Founders become bottlenecks because they design a hub-and-spoke workflow that centralizes decisions.
- This structure trains competent employees to be dependent and hesitant to act.
Install Decision Filters
- Install decision filters so team members can act without asking you.
- Define clear rules and let them make choices within those boundaries.
Use Monetary Limits As Rules
- Give specific monetary and situational limits to teams to empower action.
- Use examples like refund and marketing budget filters to remove the need for approval.