Rewiring Leadership: Abdicate Control to Accelerate Growth

Kishore Biyani, at the peak of his company's rapid expansion, faced an unusual management problem: as his organization grew, more than 40 people started reporting directly to him. On paper, this looked like chaos; critics accused him of running a one-man show. Yet, a closer look revealed a counter-intuitive strategy at play. He drew a clear line between 'direct access' and 'direct control.'

Instead of tightening his grip, Biyani made a conscious choice: abdicate rather than delegate. He provided broad goals and a sense of direction, then stepped back, giving his team true freedom to figure out the path. Mistakes weren’t emergencies—he believed energy would thrive when people owned results. As partners grew in confidence, decisions happened faster, and innovation didn't choke at the top.

There were rough edges—some missteps and moments of confusion—but overall, teams blossomed. Behavioral science points to the power of autonomy and trust: when teams are trusted to own the outcome, creativity and growth accelerate. The lesson? Real leadership is about letting go, not holding tighter.

If you're ready to break through your own bottlenecks, choose a responsibility you usually oversee and hand it over for real—not just in name—setting clear goals and letting someone else chart their course. Resist the impulse to step in, even if you see early stumbles, and check in for support, not to take back the reins. When things inevitably go off-script, help the team learn and adapt rather than blame. Watch how much faster and more creatively your group grows once the energy shifts to them. Try it on your next group task—you might be startled by the results.