Being the bottleneck rarely feels like a problem while it is happening. It feels like being needed. This checklist is a way to notice it early. Count how many apply to you this week.
Signs in your day
- You answer the same question more than twice a week.
- Teammates message you before checking any document.
- You are interrupted during focused work at least three times a day.
- You have said the words I already explained this more than once this month.
Signs in your team
- Work waits for your reply before it can continue.
- New hires ask you what a teammate could have answered.
- People avoid decisions because they are unsure what you would say.
- Nobody else knows how a key customer or process works.
Signs in your company
- Your knowledge lives in your head, chats and old emails.
- When you travel or get sick, projects slow down.
- Your onboarding for a new hire is you, for a week.
- You have no list of which decisions are yours alone.
What to do with your score
Zero to three: you are fine, keep an eye on it. Four to eight: start writing down your top ten answers with an owner and a date. Nine or more: the cost is already real. Pick the five questions you were asked most last week, write each answer once, and put them where the team can reach them.
Try it
AskMyStartup is an AI clone that answers from facts you approve, and says so when it does not know. It is in private beta. You can join the waitlist with your email below.