3 Biggest CEO Mistakes that Limit Growth with Gene Hammett, CEO Coach

In this episode of Grow Think Tank, I explore the biggest ceo mistakes frequently make that can hinder their long-term success. Drawing from my experience as a CEO coach, I highlight the importance of leadership cultivation within teams and the detrimental effects of being too central to the business's value. I discuss how founder-led companies often face lower valuations and emphasize the need for delegation and empowerment to foster team ownership. I address how the instinct to control can lead to micromanagement, ultimately alienating high performers. Finally, I stress the significance of recognizing blind spots for effective leadership. Listeners are invited to my free training session to delve deeper into these strategies for overcoming common CEO challenges and enhancing growth.

• Biggest CEO Mistakes
• Being the Most Important Person
• Outworking the Problem
• Holding onto Control

Being the Most Important Person

In this episode of Grow Think Tank, I delve into the critical mistakes CEOs often make that can undermine long-term success. One of the first and most common is believing you must be the most important person in the business. If everything revolves around you, your company is likely less valuable than it could be.

Research shows that founder-led businesses often receive a 30% lower valuation compared to those that run independently of their founders. Why? Businesses that rely too heavily on a single leader don't scale well and aren't attractive to investors or buyers.

As a CEO coach, I help leaders step out of the spotlight and develop leadership within their teams. Creating value means building a company that thrives without you at the center, where leadership is distributed and the organization is resilient beyond one individual.

Outworking the Problem

In the early stages of a company, CEOs often get by through sheer effort. You face a problem, and you work harder. But as the business grows, this “outworking the problem” mindset becomes a liability.

It’s a mistake to think hustle alone will solve scaling challenges. Eventually, this leads to burnout, bottlenecks, and a team that doesn’t grow because you’re still doing all the heavy lifting.

Instead, the focus must shift toward delegation and empowerment. Leadership is not about doing more; it's about enabling others to take ownership. This transition is where many founders struggle, but it’s also where true growth begins.

Holding onto Control

Finally, we address a trap that many founders fall into: holding onto control for too long. In the early days, this level of control can help maintain quality and speed. But as your business scales, that same control can strangle progress.

Micromanaging alienates high performers and slows innovation. I've seen it time and time again: capable leaders leave because they aren't trusted, and the company plateaus. Growth requires trust and trust means letting go.

Transitioning from founder to CEO demands a shift in mindset. You have to evolve from being the person doing everything to the person who builds the team that does everything. That shift is hard but absolutely necessary.

Final Thought

If you're serious about becoming the kind of leader your growing company needs, it starts with identifying these blind spots. Throughout this episode, I share insights, experiences, and strategies to help you make the shift from founder to CEO.

Join me in a free training session where we go deeper into each of these mistakes and how to overcome them so you can lead with intention and scale your business the right way.