Episode 633

full
Published on:

7th May 2025

Are You Addicted to Being Busy?

What if your addiction to hustle is the very thing holding your business back?

In this episode, Bill unpacks the hidden addiction that plagues so many leaders: the need to feel busy. He explores how overworking, micromanaging, and always being “on” isn’t just unsustainable, but also a failure of effective leadership. Bill shares powerful stories of CEOs who broke the cycle and built stronger teams by stepping back, letting go, and empowering others to rise up to the occasion. 

Topics explored in this episode:

(0:10) The Hidden Costs of Busyness

*Being constantly busy feels productive, but it's actually a trap.

*Imagine a world where you could step back and things don’t fall apart.


(1:00) Case Study of a Fitness CEO

*A thriving business, healthy personal life, and empowered team; you can do it all by doing less.

*Why nudging, not rescuing, is the key to accountability and performance.


(3:15) The Output is More Important Than ‘Busy’

*Entrepreneurs love to glamorize their busyness, but true effectiveness is about results generated. 


(5:35) Let’s Take the Summer Off!

*Bill shares a story of how he restructured his company so he could take a month off and finally…relax! 


(6:15) Building a Team That Thinks for Itself

*Practical strategies for creating team ownership, like asking instead of solving.

*Stop solving problems for other people. 

*Train yourself out of the ‘fixer’ role. 


(8:10) From Founder to Scaler

*You can grow a business that thrives without you—and one you’re proud to sell (or keep).


Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

 

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop 

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach 


Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. 


Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.


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Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ 

Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall 


This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

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About the Podcast

Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher
Do you dream of an easier way to scale and grow your business? Do you wish you didn’t have to work so hard and put in as many hours? Do you find growth too slow, or hard to sustain?

This podcast—Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher—can help you achieve and maintain the growth you want.

A message from your host: “I’ve been in your shoes as a founder, CEO, and executive leader. I’ve coached and trained many leaders just like you over more than 15 years to grow their businesses successfully and profitably. But more than that, I’ve helped give them their time and sanity back. My core strength is making the growth process easier, faster, and way more fun.”

A dynamic thought leader, Bill talks with fascinating and brilliant guests each week, including visionary CEOs, trailblazing entrepreneurs, best-selling authors, renowned business strategists, and more.

Broadly, each episode focuses on one of the four major decision areas every entrepreneur and company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. More specifically, the show explores topics such as:

* Business Growth & Scaling.
* Customer Experience & Marketing.
* Innovation & Differentiation.
* Leadership Development.
* Delegation & Accountability.
* Vision & Strategy.
* Team Dynamics.
* Hiring & Talent Management.
* Company Culture.
* Employee Engagement.
* Crisis Management.
* Effective Communication.
* Influence & Persuasion.
* Business Strategies.

Running a business is ultimately about freedom. Subscribe to this podcast to learn how leaders like you can get your organizations moving in sync, create something significant, and still enjoy the ride. Subscribe if you want to elevate your business to unprecedented heights by tuning in to a masterclass in business excellence.

For information on Bill Gallagher’s coaching and training programs, and Scaling Up Workshops, visit www.ScalingCoach.com

About your host

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William Gallagher