Stop Being the Hero. Start Being the Designer.
Reflections on leadership from a TikTok scroll that hit close to home.
During a late-night scroll through TikTok (don’t judge, we’ve all been there), I came across a short video that made me reflect on my leadership journey. No, it wasn’t a viral dance. It was a 60-second leadership lesson that spoke directly to the heart of Student Affairs work and to a pattern I’ve seen time and again, in myself and in others.
The message was simple: When you get promoted, stop clinging to the tasks that got you there.
Let that sink in.
It’s such a common trap. I’ve seen it in colleagues. I’ve seen it in student leaders. And I’ll be honest, I’ve fallen into it myself. We step into a new role, and our first instinct is to double down on the things we’re good at. Programming. Crisis response. Last-minute fixes. The things that made us stand out before. The “hero” work. It feels productive, even affirming. But it keeps us stuck in doing instead of leading.
Leadership isn’t about being the “hero” anymore. It’s about being the designer.
As the video wisely put it, your role isn’t to keep doing the work yourself. It’s to set the vision, empower others, and build systems that outlast you. When we refuse to let go, we don’t just exhaust ourselves. We stunt the growth of the team. We unintentionally signal that trust is limited and that we don’t believe others can rise to the occasion.
In Student Affairs, this shows up all the time:
Directors who still write the newsletter instead of mentoring the student marketing team
Advisors who plan every event detail, leaving no room for students to learn through the process
Mid-level staff caught between micromanaging and burning out
If we want to create sustainable, inclusive, student-centered environments, we have to resist the urge to be the one who always “saves the day.” Instead, we have to design structures, delegate with intention, and coach people toward their own excellence, even if it means watching them fail, reflect, and grow.
That TikTok reminded me that the best leaders aren’t the busiest. They’re the ones who know when to step back and allows those around them to step into their own leadership, build confidence, and grow into their potential. When we make space for others to lead, we not only lighten our own load, we multiply the capacity of the entire team. It’s not about doing less. It’s about leading differently, designing environments where growth is shared and success is sustainable.
So here’s your invitation this week:
Look at your calendar. Your inbox. Your mental checklist. Ask yourself: Am I doing this because I have to, or because it’s comfortable?
Then take a breath, trust your people, and start designing.