Lead at the Right Altitude (Stop proving. Start scaling.)
HB Weekly Leadership Brief
Week of February 26, 2026
If you’re an executive or senior leader, this one’s for you (and for me).
At a certain level, the game changes. You don’t get paid for being the most responsive. You don’t get paid for fixing formatting errors. You don’t get paid for being the smartest operator in the room.
You get paid for judgment, direction, leverage, and culture.
And yet, many high-performing executives quietly struggle with two invisible forces:
Imposter Syndrome – “If I don’t keep proving myself, they’ll realize I don’t belong here.”
Superhuman Syndrome – “If it’s important, I should be able to handle it myself.”
Both keep you flying at the wrong altitude. Scaling leadership isn’t about working harder. It’s about operating at the right level of impact.
“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” - Ralph Nader
“What got you here won’t get you there.” - Marshall Goldsmith
By the Numbers
The data is clear: many leaders are stuck proving instead of scaling.
72% of CEOs report experiencing imposter syndrome at some point in their leadership journey (KPMG U.S. CEO Outlook, 2023).
According to Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends, nearly 70% of executives say they feel overwhelmed by the scope of their roles, yet fewer than 30% say they effectively delegate strategic responsibilities (Deloitte, 2023).
McKinsey reports that top executives spend up to 40% of their time on operational or administrative work that could be delegated (McKinsey & Company, Organizational Performance Research).
Harvard Business Review notes that high-performing leaders often fall into “superhero leadership,” where they over-function, resulting in burnout risk 2x higher than leaders who effectively distribute responsibility (HBR, Leadership & Burnout Research).
A Quick Consult with Matt
Let me ask you a question I ask myself often: What am I still doing because it makes me feel valuable, but actually limits our growth and my effectiveness as a leader?
Most executives don’t struggle with effort. We struggle with identity. For many of us, our early career success came from outworking others, doing it ourselves, being detail obsessed and fixing what others couldn’t (or didn’t want to). Gold Star!
That’s how we got here.
But that same identity becomes dangerous at scale.
Because once you lead an enterprise, your job isn’t to do the work. Your job is to design the conditions where the work thrives without you.
That requires three shifts:
1. From Output to Architecture
Instead of asking “Did I complete it?” ask:
“Is there a system so this doesn’t require me again?”
2. From Rescue to Coaching
Instead of “I’ll handle it,” say:
“What’s your solution?”
“What’s your plan?”
“What support do you need from me?”
Every rescue builds dependence. Every coached solution builds capacity.
3. From Visibility Anxiety to Strategic Presence
If you still feel like you need to prove you’re working - that’s not a workload problem - that’s a belief problem.
High-level leadership requires tolerating:
Imperfect execution below you
Criticism from above you
Ambiguity around your worth
And still choosing altitude.
Scaling is not laziness. It’s discipline.
Weekly Reflection
Where am I over-functioning because it feels safer than delegating?
If I stopped doing three tasks tomorrow, what real risk would exist, and what fear am I exaggerating?
Am I building an organization that depends on me or one that grows beyond me?
Direct Application - This Week’s Reps
Start Doing:
Track Your Altitude (2 Weeks): Log your time in 30-minute blocks: Low / Mid / High. Executives are often shocked at the ratio.
Institute One “What’s Your Plan?” Rule: For the next 7 days, do not accept a problem without asking for a proposed solution.
Protect One 90-Minute Strategic Block: Non-negotiable. No inbox. No admin. Vision, partnerships, capital, narrative.
Stop Doing:
Stop Being the Default Closer: If every key email must come from you, you are the bottleneck.
Stop Fixing What Isn’t Yours: If someone owns it, let them own the consequences - and the growth.
Stop Measuring Your Worth by Busyness: You are not paid hourly. You are paid for leverage.
Model Spotlight
The Executive Altitude Ladder
Low Altitude (Operator Mode)
Admin
Formatting
Scheduling
Troubleshooting
Inbox triage
Mid Altitude (Manager Mode)
KPIs
1:1 coaching
Systems design
Role clarity
Accountability
High Altitude (Enterprise Mode)
Strategy
Capital & fundraising
Strategic partnerships
Culture
Public narrative
Succession planning
Your organization will rise to the altitude you consistently operate at.
If you live low, it stays dependent. If you lead high, it scales.
