**Is Your Captain in Over Their Head? (And Should Someone Politely Take the Wheel?)**

During a meeting with a business associate earlier this week, we unpacked a topic that surfaces often in organisational development: the point at which a role—particularly a leadership role—has actually outgrown the person holding it. Our discussion centred on the typical symptoms that emerge when this misalignment occurs, and it prompted me to stitch together the following…

When a business evolves, the expectations placed on its leaders evolve with it. Yet individuals do not always grow at the same pace as the organisation. This mismatch can manifest in several recognisable ways…

Every business has a captain — a brave soul steering the vessel, charting the course, and pretending the compass they’re holding isn’t just decorative. But sometimes the seas get rough, the waves get tall, and the captain… well… starts quietly Googling “jobs that require no decision-making.”

How do you know when your captain is no longer coping, the job has outgrown them, or the ship is one inspirational quote away from mutiny? Here are the signs:

1. Decision Paralysis Becomes a Daily Exercise

If every decision — from pricing strategy to type of toilet paper to be purchased — requires a week of deliberation and three spreadsheets, your captain may be overwhelmed. Bonus sign: They start delegating decisions to committees that don’t exist.

2. Meetings Multiply Like Gremlins

Suddenly every problem needs “a quick sync,” “a strategic alignment,” or “a visionary touch-base.” The more behind they feel, the more meetings appear. It’s leadership by Teams fog.

3. The Strategy du Jour Problem

If the captain unveils a new strategy every week — digital transformation, next-gen innovation, hyper-synergy realignment — but nothing actually happens, it’s a sign the future is being written on a whiteboard and left there. As I always say “never confuse motion with progress!”

4. Emotional Weather Becomes… Unpredictable

When the captain swings from motivational guru to existential philosopher to medusa in a single afternoon, crew members start checking for storm clouds. Overwhelm often leaks out as irritability, aloofness, or spontaneous pep talks that feel like TED Talks with a hint of desperation.

5. Micromanagement Hits Critical Levels

A captain who once focused on big-picture navigation is suddenly down in the engine room, telling people how to tighten bolts. This usually means they no longer trust themselves — so they try controlling everything else.

6. They Stop Learning

Overwhelmed leaders often cling to outdated knowledge because new information feels like one more wave about to swamp the deck. If the captain no longer asks questions, gets curious, or explores new ideas, the ship may drift onto the rocks.

7. The Crew Is Doing “Workarounds”

People start quietly avoiding the captain because decisions take too long or directions change too often. Work gets done around leadership instead of through it — a sure sign the ship is functionally crew-led.

So, What’s the Big Fix?

A captain who’s in over their head doesn’t need shame — they need structure, support, honesty, and sometimes a smaller ship -  or sadly, a transfer to someone else’s ship…

The remedies usually fall into four buckets:

1. Strengthen the Leader

Coaching, mentoring, training, better delegation habits, workload design, and fixing blind spots.

2. Strengthen the Crew

Adding or empowering lieutenants, hiring specialists, clarifying responsibilities, and improving communication.

3. Strengthen the Ship

Adjust the strategy, streamline processes, modernize tools, and build decision-making systems that don’t rely on a single heroic individual.

4. Find another Ship

Sadly, there may come a time when the person is simply no longer the “right fit” and needs to be replaced.

Final Thought

A great captain isn’t one who never feels overwhelmed — it’s one who notices the rising tide and asks for more oars, better charts, or a new way to sail. If your business leader is taking on water, don’t wait for the lifeboats. Offer help, adjust course… if these tactics don’t work, it may well be time for a new captain…

Thoughts welcomed, as always!

MC