Are you stuck in the day-to-day operations of your business despite having a capable team? You're not alone. Many business owners find themselves reinventing the wheel with each new project, losing track of important information, and feeling like “I might as well do it myself” when delegating tasks.

The truth is, having a team that simply executes tasks isn't enough. As one client put it: “We get just busy enough that there's not enough time to improve, but then we get really busy and it's like a glaring fact that we could move faster if things were better.”

Let's explore how to transform your team from mere execution to true leadership elevation.

The Team Evolution Model

Execution Team (Does the work)

An execution team handles the day-to-day tasks of your business. They follow instructions, complete assignments, and keep operations running. While valuable, this team structure often leaves you saying, “All of the communication then falls to me” or “I'm really bad at delegating, I'm bad at training, I'm bad at communicating exactly what I want or need.”

Support Team (Enables your work)

A support team takes your business a step further by proactively managing processes and anticipating needs. They provide what one client described as “scaffolding” for your business operations. They don't just follow SOPs—they help create and refine them.

Elevation Team (Amplifies your leadership)

An elevation team transforms your business by helping you grow as a leader. They enable you to step into higher-level activities like creating helpful resources for others, reaching more people with your ideas, and becoming known as an expert in your field. With an elevation team, you can confidently say, “If I'm out for three weeks, everything is still moving down the track.”

Assessing Your Current Team Structure

Signs of an Execution-Only Team

You're likely working with an execution-only team if you experience:

• “Every time we do a proposal we're reinventing the wheel”
• “We have nothing automated”
• “We're losing stuff on the back end”
• “We have stuff everywhere… we're trying to, we just want everything in one spot”

When Rachel, an event planning business owner, came to me, her main challenges were systems that needed improvement and reliance on Outlook with limited automation. Her contractors all had different processes, and there was limited documentation with many manual processes.

The Support Ceiling that Limits Growth

Even teams that offer support can reach a ceiling where you're still saying, “I get really frustrated and just say like I'm just going to do it myself” or “I'm spending so much time just explaining how I want things done, then I'm like I could just be doing this myself.”

One of my clients, Annie, a food blogger who went full-time about a year ago, found herself struggling despite having team members. She felt disorganized with no clear systems and was bogged down with administrative tasks instead of focusing on the creative work (cooking/recipes) she loved.

Characteristics of a True Elevation Team

An elevation team:

• Enables you to move away from work you don't enjoy
• Takes over the mundane tasks completely
• Keeps you connected without requiring your constant involvement
• Thinks like you do when making decisions
• Creates one place for all important information
• Establishes clear steps for how to do things

The Evolution Roadmap

Role Clarity as the Foundation

Begin by clearly defining what each role should be doing. As one client envisioned: “I want to transition out of that specific work and have someone else come in and take over that piece of the business” and “I want to move out of the operations that I've been doing that just do not light me up in any way, shape, or form.”

This requires detailed documentation of processes and clear communication about expectations. When working with Jessie, who runs Sober Mom Life with 450+ paying members, my key recommendation was to create documentation for all processes and procedures and implement better systems for team management and communication.

Decision Authority as the Accelerator

To truly elevate, team members need progressive decision-making authority. This isn't about abdicating responsibility, but rather about empowering your team. As one client put it: “If my name is still on the door but I'm not the one bringing people in for programs I still want it to feel like me.” This requires giving team members the context to make decisions aligned with your values and vision.

Strategic Involvement as the Multiplier

The highest-functioning teams actively contribute to your business strategy. They help you become “known as an expert in your field” and enable you to reach “more people with your ideas.”

One client articulated this aspiration clearly: “I want to be able to back away, not that I don't want to be involved” and “I want another one of me.” Strategic involvement means team members who understand not just what to do, but why it matters and how it connects to the bigger picture.

Critical Conversations

The Expectations Alignment Conversation

Start by clearly articulating your vision for each role. This includes discussing how the role contributes to “doing things on purpose, not by accident” and “building your business around your life, not the other way around.”

Questions to ask:

• What outcomes are we trying to achieve?
• What does success look like in this role?
• How does this role support our core values?

The Authority Transfer Conversation

As you build trust, progressively transfer decision-making authority. This is about “charging what you're really worth” and “being confident in your business decisions.”

Questions to explore:

• What decisions can this person make independently?
• What decisions require consultation?
• What information do they need to make aligned decisions?

The Strategic Contribution Conversation

Invite your team into higher-level thinking. As one client shared about their leadership style: “I really do build the plane while we're flying it, and that's just kind of how my brain works” and “I want to do something, so then I do it, and then I figure it out.” Your team needs to understand this context to truly support your leadership style.

Questions to discuss:

• How do you see our business evolving?
• What opportunities should we be exploring?
• How can your unique perspective contribute to our strategy?

Team Development Strategy

Identifying High-Potential Elevation Team Members

Look for team members who:

• Ask “why” questions about your business decisions
• Proactively solve problems beyond their immediate responsibilities
• Demonstrate alignment with your core values
• Show interest in the big picture

When Lacy was feeling overwhelmed after a Facebook ads failure ($30,000 investment that didn't work out), she needed more than just tactical support. She needed team members who understood her values of authenticity and genuine connection in her business.

Creating Leadership Development Pathways

Deliberately develop your team's leadership capabilities. This supports your dream of “getting help with running the business,” “creating helpful resources for others,” and “reaching more people with your ideas.”

Effective pathways include:

• Progressive responsibility assignments
• Regular mentoring conversations
• Exposure to strategic decision-making
• Industry learning opportunities

Building System Ownership Capabilities

Transition from team members who follow systems to those who own and improve them. As clients express: “I just want to make sure that they get that that could be automated would be huge” and “We need a communication system.”

Case Study: How One Business Transformed Their Team Structure to Support CEO-level Leadership

Jessie has a membership community with 450+ paying members. With a podcast, retreats, and a premium program, she was struggling with logistics management, communication challenges with team members, and limited documentation of processes.

After implementing a systematic approach to team elevation:

• She created documentation for all processes and procedures
• Implemented better systems for team management and communication
• Focused on scaling systems to prepare for growth with her upcoming book launch
• Clarified roles and responsibilities for team members
• Developed better onboarding and training for meeting hosts

The result? Jessie was able to create what she described as “a way to streamline SOPs” and a business that could “easily turn on and have like the right people there.” Her team evolved from execution to elevation, allowing her to focus on strategic growth and the upcoming book launch.

Elevate Your Leadership Through Your Team

Let's apply the P.A.R.I.S. framework to summarize:

Problem: You're stuck in operations despite having a team.

Agitate: Every day spent in the weeds is a day not spent growing your impact and influence.

Remind: You started your business to make a difference, not to manage logistics forever.

Interesting data: According to a recent study by the Harvard Business Review, CEOs who successfully delegate experience 33% more business growth than those who remain operationally focused.

Solution: Transform your team from execution to elevation by implementing the Team Evolution Model.

Ready to build a team that truly elevates your leadership? Book a complimentary strategy call to get started on your journey today.