You’re exhausted from putting out the same fires over and over again.

Last week, it was the marketing campaign that blindsided customer support. The week before, a “simple” process change that broke three other workflows. And the week before that, a client meeting that went sideways because your team didn’t know the relationship history.

Each time, you found yourself thinking: “How could they not have seen this coming?”

But here’s what’s really happening: Your team isn’t making bad decisions. They’re making decisions with half the information.

While you’re carrying around years of hard won context - all those cautionary tales, relationship dynamics and “what happened last time we tried this” - your team is flying blind.

They see the goal. They don’t see the landmines.

And guess who gets called in to clean up every predictable mess?

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Today’s Permission Slip:
You have permission to share the context behind your decisions - so your team can stop stepping on landmines you learned to avoid years ago.

I know what you’re thinking: “But sharing all that context sounds like more work. More explaining. More time I don’t have.”

And you’re right - it is more work upfront.

But here’s what happens when you don’t share context:

• Your team keeps making the same avoidable mistakes.
• You keep getting pulled into crisis management.
• Every decision becomes a potential emergency.
• You can never truly step away because they don’t know what you know.

Here's the real cost: Every time you clean up a mess instead of preventing it, you trade short-term efficiency for long-term exhaustion. You rush full steam towards destination Burnout.

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This Week's Practice:
Instead of just giving directions, add one sentence: “Here’s what I’ve learned from experience…”

Instead of: “We can’t launch that campaign next week.”

Try: “We can’t launch that campaign next week. Here’s what I’ve learned from experience - when we launch during quarterly reviews, sales gets overwhelmed and can’t follow up properly. We generate great leads but convert poorly because timing is everything.”

It takes 30 seconds longer. But it prevents the three-hour crisis cleanup you’d otherwise be doing next week.
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Real-World Example:
I once worked with a leader who became known for his crisis handling. The CEO thought him to be indispensable because he always saved the day.
But here's what I observed about his team:

• They were often unaware of pitfalls that lay ahead with certain kinds of stakeholders.
• They didn't know that the CEO preferred certain project activities to always happen a certain way.
• They didn't know which timing issues had caused problems before.

The star crisis handler, never shared this context with his teams. He hoarded it. So that he could maintain his reputation as the ultimate problem solver who gets the job done.
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Many of his team lost their jobs over the years due to this.
Sounds unbelievable, but sadly it is a true story.
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Don't be like him. Be better. Help your team out by sharing the hard won context you've acquired over the years.
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It's the only way they can succeed without you. And it's the only way you get to breathe easier and have some peace on the weekends.
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This Week’s Question:
What’s the one recurring mess you’re tired of cleaning up that your team could prevent if they just knew what you know?

Here’s to leading differently,
Raghav

P.S. What landmine does your team keep stepping on that you learned to avoid years ago? Hit reply - I’ve probably been there too and I read every response.

P.P.S. Know someone who’s tired of the same recurring crises? Forward this to them. They can subscribe here.