Real change needs some tension, not zero — your role isn't removing all discomfort, but keeping it within a range that produces learning, not collapse.

Don't ask "do we need another hire?" — ask "if we started today with nobody, who'd we hire first?".

Design a 3-phase leadership onboarding plan: Learn (30) → Contribute (60) → Own (90) — instead of leaving the new member to "figure it out alone".