--- title: Opening The Bottleneck description: "By not letting go as the business grows, leaders risk becoming the bottleneck. #WhatsTheRisk" image: https://www.thegibsonedge.com/hubfs/blog-files/Breyley%20-%20Opening%20The%20Bottleneck%20-%20Blog.jpg --- [**](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/opening-the-bottleneck#tmpmodule_1568675152246189) - [Client Login](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/gibson-client-login) - [Contact Us](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/contact) **** [![Gibson Logo](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gibson%20UNISON%20Co_Horiz_Logo_Gold_White-1.png?width=2518&height=1088&name=Gibson%20UNISON%20Co_Horiz_Logo_Gold_White-1.png) ![Gibson Logo](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gibson%20UNISON%20Co_Horiz_Logo_Gold_White-1.png?width=2518&height=1088&name=Gibson%20UNISON%20Co_Horiz_Logo_Gold_White-1.png) ](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/) [**](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/opening-the-bottleneck#tmpmodule_1568675152246189) - [Services](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/services) - [Employee Benefits](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/services/employee-benefits) - [Business Insurance](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/services/business-insurance) - [Private Client Group](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/services/private-client-group) - [Industries](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/industries) - [Insights & News](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog) - [Insights & News](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog) - [Webinars](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/webinars) - [Podcast](https://podcast.thegibsonedge.com) - [About Us](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/about-us) - [Become a Partner](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/become-a-partner) - [Leadership](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/leadership) - [Community Impact](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/impact) - [Sightline](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/sightline) - [About URA](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/ura) - [Offices](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/offices) - [Careers](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/careers) ** ###### 2 min read # [Opening The Bottleneck](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/opening-the-bottleneck) Oct 26, 2018 6:30:00 AM *Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Dean Breyley, Certified EOS Implementer, entrepreneur, and speaker. We hope you enjoy Dean’s wisdom and perspective.* ![Breyley - Opening The Bottleneck - Blog](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-files/Breyley%20-%20Opening%20The%20Bottleneck%20-%20Blog.jpg?width=375&name=Breyley%20-%20Opening%20The%20Bottleneck%20-%20Blog.jpg)Bottlenecked, gridlocked, congested – there are lots of ways to describe how it feels when a business gets stuck. We’ve all been there at some point in our work, and once you realize you are there, you immediately start searching for ways to get ‘un-stuck.’ Finding an effective solution that truly gets the business back flowing and growing can feel like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. All the while, the issues caused by the bottleneck continue to pile up and snowball. Results slow down, growth starts to halt, errors increase, and people get frustrated. What got you where you are today no longer seems to work. Management consultant and author Peter Drucker once remarked that, when it comes to a company’s overall performance, the “bottleneck is always at the top of the bottle.” While there are many ways that organizations get stuck, it is often the result of a business outgrowing whatever systems, resources, or people that brought them to where they are. As companies scale up, capacity can seem to disappear into thin air and workloads increase far too quickly for decision-makers to handle. They are often left struggling with business systems, processes, and workflows not designed to operate at that level of capacity for a prolonged period. Entrepreneurs have the rare talent and ability to see, start, and build new businesses. Yet at some point the entrepreneur comes to realize that to continue to grow, they will want to look outside of themselves and build a team around them to extend and enhance their skill set, leveraging the ability of others to truly elevate the organization. As you add new people to the company, learning how to put the right people in the right seats is one of the most valuable skills you can develop as a leader and a manager. Doing so will enable you to delegate effectively, buying back your capacity. This will elevate you and let you focus on doing what you do best whilst freeing the company up for growth. #### **What’s The Risk? ** Unfortunately, many leaders try to hold on to too much for too long and have trouble “letting go.” We think that the short-term investment in ‘doing it ourselves’ will save us time and energy, when with the right people in place who have the correct resources to enable success – the long-term value you can create is exponential. In other words, by not ‘letting go as we grow’ we become the bottleneck.   ***This content was written and shared by guest blogger, Dean Breyley.*** ![Dean Breyley](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-files/Dean%20Breyley.jpg?width=200&name=Dean%20Breyley.jpg)Dean’s passion is helping entrepreneurs and leadership teams get everything that they want from their businesses. He does this by introducing teams to EOS; helping them to create strong, independent, capable teams that build great companies. As a Certified EOS Implementer, Dean strives to help business owners and entrepreneurs avoid the pain and dysfunction that most companies struggle with every day and live a life full of choice, freedom, and opportunity. Connect with Dean via his [website](http://www.growdie.com/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/growordieuk), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/deanbreyley/), and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanbreyley/). ###### Topics: [Executive](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/executive) ![Gibson](https://via.placeholder.com/100x100.jpg/e0e7ee) #### Written by [Gibson](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/author/gibson) Gibson is a team of risk management and employee benefits professionals with a passion for helping leaders look beyond what others see and get to the proactive side of insurance. Gibson is driven by close relationships with clients, employees, and the communities they serve. The first Gibson office opened in 1933 in northern Indiana, and as the company’s reach grew, so did their team. Today, Gibson serves clients across the country from offices in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, and Utah. [**](https://www.facebook.com/TheGibsonEdge) [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/68297) [**](https://twitter.com/TheGibsonEdge) ###### [** Previous Post](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/how-an-esop-drives-culture) [![ESOP - Blog](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/507386/CLEAN-images/gfx/feat-img-temp.jpg)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/how-an-esop-drives-culture) ###### [How An ESOP Drives Culture](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/how-an-esop-drives-culture) ###### [Next Post **](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/retention-and-the-gesop) [![ESOP - Blog](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/507386/CLEAN-images/gfx/feat-img-temp.jpg)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/retention-and-the-gesop) ###### [Retention And The GESOP](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/retention-and-the-gesop) ### Featured ### Posts by Tag - [Executive (587)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/executive) - [Risk Management (320)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/risk-management) - [Personal Insurance & Risk Management (158)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/personal-insurance-risk-management) - [Employee Benefits (154)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/employee-benefits) - [Commercial Insurance (127)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/commercial-insurance) - [Health Risk Management (111)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/health-risk-management) - [Construction (66)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/construction) - [Workers' Compensation (51)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/workers-compensation) - [Health Care Reform (48)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/health-care-reform) - [Unison Risk Advisors (45)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/unison-risk-advisors) - [Commercial Risk Management (39)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/commercial-risk-management) - [Claims (32)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/claims) - [Schools (28)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/schools) - [#DisasterReady (25)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/disasterready) - [ESOP (24)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/esop) - [Health & Human Services (23)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/health-human-services) - [Social Media (18)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/social-media) - [Personal Insurance (15)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/personal-insurance) - [HHS (14)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/hhs) - [Risk Management Services (12)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/risk-management-services) - [Select Business Solutions (12)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/select-business-solutions) - [Uncategorized (12)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/uncategorized) - [Wellbeing (11)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/wellbeing) - [WhatsTheRisk (11)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/whatstherisk) - [Leadership (10)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/leadership) - [Senior Care (10)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/senior-care) - [Contract Review (8)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/contract-review) - [Private Client Group (8)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/private-client-group) - [Senior Living (7)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/senior-living) - [manufacturing (6)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/manufacturing) - [Cyber (5)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/cyber) - [Education & Public Entities (5)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/education-public-entities) - [Employee Benefits Practice (5)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/employee-benefits-practice) - [M&A (5)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/ma) - [Accounting Support (4)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/accounting-support) - [Payroll (4)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/payroll) - [Construction & Surety (2)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/construction-surety) - [Finance (2)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/finance) - [HR Platform (2)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/hr-platform) - [Holiday (2)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/holiday) - [PR (2)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/pr) - [Small Employee Benefits Group (2)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/small-employee-benefits-group) - [Administration (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/administration) - [Community (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/community) - [Get to know us (M&A) (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/get-to-know-us-ma) - [HR Solutions (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/hr-solutions) - [Leadership Team (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/leadership-team) - [Life Insurance (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/life-insurance) - [SME (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/sme) - [Technology (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/technology) - [hidden (1)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/topic/hidden) [See all](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/blog/opening-the-bottleneck#) ### Sign up for updates [![Gibson A Unison Risk Advisors Company Logo](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gibson%20UNISON%20Co_Horiz_Logo_Gold_White.png?width=188&height=81&name=Gibson%20UNISON%20Co_Horiz_Logo_Gold_White.png)](https://www.thegibsonedge.com)   - [ARIZONA](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/contact#fort-wayne) - [ILLINOIS](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/contact#chicago) - [INDIANA](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/contact#fort-wayne) - [MICHIGAN](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/contact#kalamazoo) - [NEW MEXICO](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/offices#new-mexico) - [UTAH](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/contact#salt-lake-city) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/privacy-policy) - [Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/limit-the-use-of-my-sensitive-personal-information) - [Legal Notices](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/legal-notices) - [Standard Service Terms](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/standard-service-terms) - [Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information](https://www.thegibsonedge.com/do-not-sell-or-share-my-personal-information) Copyright © 2026 Gibson Insurance Agency, Inc. [**](https://www.facebook.com/gibsoninsurance)[**](https://www.linkedin.com/companies/68297) ** ![](https://ws.zoominfo.com/pixel/61ae53c3513e3b001ae3f064)