There is a tale of two product vice presidents that perfectly captures why working harder is a trap. One works seventeen-hour days. He acts like a senior individual contributor by micromanaging every ticket and constantly checking Slack. He is burning out and his team is miserable because they have no agency. The other sets firm boundaries, takes real vacations and delegates the details (mentoring along the way). She focuses entirely on high-leverage tasks. She is vastly more successful.
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In The Inner Game of Tennis, Timothy Gallwey explains that trying too hard physically tightens your muscles and ruins your swing. The same is true in product leadership. When you grip the wheel too tightly, you lose sight of the broader strategy. You must hit pause. Stop acting like the hero who has to save every sprint.
You will recognize yourself in this story if you have convinced yourself that the team will fail if you step away. But your constant intervention is exactly what is holding them back. Your true value lies in setting the conditions for the right things to happen.
Give your team the context they need and step out of their way.
Where are you gripping the wheel too tightly right now?