When I was promoted into a GM position—also known as the National leader role for the company I was working with at the time, one of the Senior leaders, Rob, gave me a call. He rang to congratulate me on the role and then asked a question that caught me completely off guard:

“Have you picked a retirement date? A date to make yourself redundant?”

I’d been in the job for two weeks. So, naturally, I was a little taken aback, and if I’m honest, a bit fearful. Was he trying to tell me that I wasn’t right for the job? Had someone gotten in his ear and told him to plant the seeds for a future reshuffling or worse an exit?

Thankfully, he went on to explain himself.

He said, “Your role is to get results for the company, meet the targets set for your state and region, and prioritise strategic initiatives, especially the ones aligned to our purpose and the impact we want to make.”

He also added, “A big part of your role is to develop your team to the point where they can operate confidently and independently without needing you at every turn. You need to grow their capability to solve problems, make decisions, and lead. It’s a great idea to think about making yourself redundant over a three-to-four year period. To build a bench of successors—a group of leaders you’d trust to step into your role when the time is right.”

He then went on to say, “It’s not about doing this so the organisation can get rid of you, or even necessarily about leaving your role. You can stay in it as long as you want to, especially if you believe you’re having an impact and making a difference. It’s about creating the space and freedom you need to focus on the bigger picture—the strategic stuff and the stuff that matters. And it will also position you for bigger opportunities. The SWOT team (the company’s name for the executive team) sees a bright future for you.”

I’ve shared this story with countless leaders, particularly new leaders in senior positions, because it was helpful advice for the role I was in: one that required me to be part operational, part strategic.

Whether you’re in a senior role leading leaders, balancing operations, strategy, and a million competing priorities or you’re a leader of a team, this mindset helps.

When you build a team that runs without you—a team that doesn’t need you for every decision, every challenge, every fire, you create more time, more space, more impact. You also get a lot less frustrated.

And let’s be honest, leading a high-maintenance team is exhausting!

When you lead with this mindset—of empowering others, of developing them, of building capability, you give your people the message that they are valued, that they matter, and that you believe in them. And I’ve come to learn this kind of leadership lights people up. It motivates them. It inspires them to grow and step up.

It also helps you gain their trust, get greater engagement, and buy-in.

So how do you make yourself redundant?

Here’s some things I suggest:

Hire well – Take the time upfront to find the right people. A-players—not just for their skills and performance, but for their mindset, attitude, and how they show up for others. People who are values-aligned, curious, open-minded, and coachable. Both talent and attitude matter—and the right fit makes all the difference.

Coach often – Make space to develop your people. Offer regular feedback and feedforward. Have the challenging conversations and celebrate the wins. Stretch and support them—sometimes in the same breath.

Give them a go – Create opportunities for your team to step up, think for themselves, and solve problems before they come to you. Encourage them to have a go and develop their confidence and capability.

Let go of control – Ease your grip on perfection and certainty. Empowering others means letting them bring their own ideas and approaches—and often, they’ll surprise you in the best way.

So this week, I’m wondering:

• What’s a hypothetical retirement or redundancy date in the future when you’ll no longer be in the day-to-day, stuck in the operations, buried in the weeds?
• What does an A-player look like for you? Who is your ideal team member? What skills, traits, and mindsets do they need to thrive?
• If you realise you don’t have an A-player, what kind, honest, conversations could you have to help them step up or to support them in finding a role that’s a better fit?
• What is one thing you could let go of?

My decades of leading others and being a guide from the side—have taught me that:

• You’ll be more impactful.
• You’ll be less frustrated.
• Your team will rise when you need them to.

I trust this has been helpful in some shape or form.

Until next week, be well and lead well!

Kylie