If you tend to avoid conflict, smooth things over, or jump in to fix problems yourself, this episode is for you.

As your business grows, tension and discomfort don’t mean something is broken; they’re signs that your business is evolving. In this episode of Be the Anchor, Kari explores the critical (and often uncomfortable) shift from being a capable problem-solver to becoming a true leader.

You’ll learn why avoiding hard conversations keeps you stuck in reaction mode, how fixing problems for your team actually limits their growth, and what leadership looks like when responsibility is shared instead of absorbed.

This episode is a continuation of the recent conversation about becoming the bottleneck in your business and what it really takes to move from management into confident, sustainable leadership.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why conflict and tension are not signs of failure but indicators of growth
• The predictable stages of business ownership: provider → manager → leader
• How “being helpful” can quietly keep you stuck fixing instead of leading
• The hidden cost of avoiding hard conversations in your business
• Why leadership is about developing people, not preventing problems
• A real-world example of addressing performance issues without micromanaging
• How naming standards and impact builds ownership and accountability
• Why asking questions is more powerful than giving answers
• The role of space, calm, and regulation in effective leadership conversations

You’re not behind. You’re evolving.

Learning how to lead through discomfort calmly, clearly, and without carrying everything yourself is one of the most important shifts a business owner can make. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.

If this episode resonated, let it be an invitation, not to push harder, but to pause. To step back just enough to lead forward.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—start building a business that works for you—not just because of you.

Work with Kari:

• Anchored Leadership Academy
• Private Business and Leadership Coaching

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linked In: Kari Lotzien

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