The One Role That Can Change Everything in Your Business
If your team is growing but your diary is still jam-packed, your stress is climbing, and your inbox is overflowing with things only you seem to be able to answer… there’s a good chance you’re missing one crucial piece of your organisational puzzle.
Most business owners hit a point where the team has grown, the work has scaled, but they’re still stuck in the middle of everything.
Constantly managing people. Fixing problems. Running out of time. It's frustrating, exhausting, and makes you wonder if growing a team was ever worth it.
Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s one role that can change everything—and it might just be the game changer your business needs.
Are You Experiencing Growing Pains?
There are some common warning signs that suggest your business is ready for a structural shift:
- You're the bottleneck — everything flows through you and progress stalls if you're unavailable.
- Taking leave is near impossible — for both you and your team. It creates a ripple of disruption.
- More work than you can handle — and you're turning clients away.
- Rising error rates or missed deadlines — little cracks are starting to show.
- A clear skills gap on the team — something vital is missing.
- You're working all day on the team, then working all night in the business.
These signs don’t mean you’ve failed—they mean you’re scaling. But unless you address them properly, growth will feel like stress, not success.
The Three Types of Team Fixes—And Only One Is a Game Changer
When faced with these pressures, business owners usually try one of three things:
- Duplicating a Role
This is a common move when a specific team member or department becomes overwhelmed. Maybe it’s hard for people to take leave, customer service is stretched thin, or work is being turned away. Adding another person to the same role seems logical—and sometimes it is. But it rarely solves the root issue. It supports delivery, but it doesn’t shift anything off your plate.
- Creating a New Role
Sometimes there’s a clear skills gap—something no one in the business currently does. You might need someone to manage a new technology, handle compliance, or bring an outsourced task in-house. These roles are essential at times—but if created hastily, they often become messy “catch-all” jobs that no one’s really qualified for, and you end up micromanaging them anyway.
- Hiring a Buffer Role (Game Changer)
This is the one that changes everything. A buffer role is someone who sits between you and the rest of the team. They become the go-to, the filter, the fixer. They take the people problems off your plate, handle the day-to-day management, and give you back your time.
It’s not just about having less to do—it’s about creating space for you to lead, to grow, and to actually enjoy running your business again.
What Exactly Is a Buffer Role?
Buffer roles vary depending on your business size, structure, and complexity. Here are the three main types:
- The 2IC / Operations Manager
This person is your right hand. They understand the business, can make informed decisions, and manage daily operations. They take the weight off your shoulders and become the single point of contact between you and the wider team.
If you’re currently fielding questions from 10 people, imagine what it would be like to only answer to one. That’s the power of a 2IC.
- The Executive Assistant (EA)
Don’t let the corporate-sounding title throw you off. A strong EA—or admin gatekeeper—is someone who protects your time, organises your day, manages communication flow, and keeps you focused.
For smaller teams or overwhelmed founders, this role can provide instant relief without requiring you to let go of big-picture control.
- Team Leaders
When your business has multiple departments or skill sets, team leaders provide a direct line of communication and accountability within each function. They’re responsible for their team’s performance and take on the coaching, questions, and problem-solving that would otherwise land on your desk.
Many businesses introduce team leaders before hiring a 2IC, especially when each group requires specific technical oversight.
How Do You Know Which Buffer Role You Need?
Ask yourself:
How big is your team?
Seven is the magic number for direct reports. If you're managing more than that effectively, you're an outlier. Most aren’t.
How complex is your business?
If you’ve got multiple departments, clients, or service types, your needs will differ from a business with a single product and a lean delivery model.
How much control are you truly willing to give up?
This is the big one. If you’re not ready to hand over decision-making, a team leader or EA might be a better first step than a full-blown operations manager.
The ROI of a Buffer Role
Even gaining back just 10 hours a week is transformational. That’s time to:
Work on business strategy instead of day-to-day tasks. Reconnect with clients or focus on growth initiatives. Step away without worrying that everything will fall apart. Actually enjoy your business again.
Most business owners underestimate how much time they spend managing people—until it’s handed off.
Don’t Let Growing Pains Stall Your Momentum
These moments in your business where everything feels heavy are not signs you’re doing something wrong. They’re signs that your structure hasn’t yet caught up with your scale.
Yes, you could keep hiring more doers. Yes, you could power through and manage everyone yourself.
But if you really want things to change, the next hire you make should be someone who helps you do less—not someone who adds more for you to manage.
Buffer roles don’t just support the business. They support the business owner. And that changes everything.
An Invitation
If you’d like to connect with other business owners, leaders and managers, I’d love for you to join us inside our free Facebook Group where you can connect with other like minded business owners, leaders and managers to discuss all things HR: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia
