In this energizing and no-nonsense episode of IT Leaders, Jason Johnson, VP of IT at Sweetwater, dives deep into the heart of effective leadership: time, delegation, and focus. Blending military precision from his Navy days with hard-earned wisdom from over a decade at one of America’s fastest-growing music retailers, Jason shares how intentional planning and letting go of the hero complex can unlock exponential growth—for leaders and their teams.

Jason’s message is clear: the same rigor you’d apply to systems and code must be brought to your calendar, your task list, and your delegation strategy. He recounts pivotal mentorship moments, like realizing the cost of failing to plan and the power of thinking in “time multipliers”—actions today that free up your future. He challenges listeners to audit their calendars, confront their people-pleasing tendencies, and ruthlessly prioritize deep work.

From automating emails to blocking reflective time, Jason dishes out tactical hacks and thought-provoking insights, including why many leaders resist delegation and how to overcome the emotional barriers to letting go. His approach to work-life integration, clarity of purpose, and commitment to developing others makes this a must-listen for anyone navigating growth, scale, or just trying to reclaim their time.

Whether you’re leading a small team or an enterprise operation, this episode will leave you reevaluating how you show up, structure your days, and scale your leadership.