They will run the company differently than you would.
Prepare your next leaders to run the company with clear story, shared values, and decision authority
By Josh Law, CEO of Only Co.
Published November 10, 2026
I was talking with a guy recently about what he wanted the company to look like a few years from now. He didn’t feel like he had a big plan. What he wanted was for the people he was bringing into leadership to take over running it.
I told him that was a big plan.
Getting a company to where other people can lead it is a pretty significant thing to build toward. Especially when you’ve spent years making the decisions and figuring out how to keep everything moving.
What will help someone else run the company?
But it brought up a question I wanted us to work through: what would help the people in your company be successful in running it?
The answer may include some things you wouldn’t choose for yourself.
You know the business because you’ve been there for all of it. You’ve built the relationships, made the mistakes, and developed a pretty good feel for what works. Someone stepping into leadership is coming at it from a different place. They may need things explained, organized, or communicated in ways you never needed.
That doesn’t automatically mean they’re making it more complicated. They may be figuring out how to lead without having to rely on you for every answer.
How can owners prepare the next generation of leaders?
A clear company story helps the next leader lead
In that conversation, I connected this to telling the company’s story. An owner may have built a good business without spending much time explaining who they are. People know him. They call him. He’s been able to find a way to make it work.
The next leader needs people to understand the company they’re going to be working for and the direction it’s going. A clearer story can help that leader attract people who want to be part of what they’re building. Shared language around the company’s values can also help them explain what matters once somebody joins.
That can be useful even if it never would have made the top of the owner’s list.
This is something I want us to get clear on early when we’re working with a company. If the owner’s goal is for someone else to run it, we need to understand what will help that new leader lead. Otherwise, we can spend a lot of time making the owner comfortable with a plan that doesn’t give the next leader what they need.
Protect the standards and make room for different decisions
There are standards worth protecting. The way you take care of customers and the commitments you’ve made to your people shouldn’t get brushed aside because somebody has a new idea. But there’s room to talk about how those standards get carried forward.
Start with one part of the business
I’d start with one part of the business you want someone else to own. Ask what they need to make good decisions there, and where they’re still waiting on you. Then work through what you’re willing to let them decide, including decisions you might have made differently.
You may find a gap in their experience that needs work. You may also find a decision you’re ready to hand over but haven’t quite let go of yet.
If having other people run the company is your vision, it’s worth building a plan that helps them do it. I’d be glad to talk through what that could look like and how we can help you get there. Story is a powerful way to get buy in from within the company and interest from future team members outside of the company.
Put the next leader’s needs into the plan
Only Co.’s Industrial Business Method provides a way to evaluate the business, prioritize what matters next, and put the plan into action. For a related owner perspective on making more room to lead, read Better Hiring Can Do More Than Working Harder.
Talk with Only Co. about preparing your next leaders.
About the author
Josh Law is CEO of Only Co., a business building company working with industrial leaders on company identity, growth, and attracting the right people. Learn about Only Co.
