I recently held a follow-up to my Thriving Leaders program, and one shift had made the biggest difference: The move away from “here’s the answer” to “what do you think?”
These frontline managers are facing many high-stakes decisions every day, and their teams rely on them for guidance. But they were carrying too much weight. It was easiest simply to provide the answer anytime a team member came to them with a question. That meant, though, that their teams were leaning really heavily on them to always have the answer.
But as one manager noted, “I’m building the future of our field.” We need these team members to develop the skills and the trust in themselves to handle these issues when you’re not around. Often, they know the answer, they just need the assurance that they’re on the right path. The extra few minutes you spend today pays off down the road in their confidence and expertise.
Instead of jumping to solve the problem they’ve presented, ask what’s behind the question:
- “What have you tried?”
- “What do you think the issue is?”
- “What do you want to try next?”
- “What’s giving you pause?”
Through that inquiry, you help clarify their thinking, strengthen their instincts, and demonstrate your trust in their handling of the process. Because your job isn’t jut to solve this problem, it’s to build the leaders who can solve the next problem. Over time, they’ll lean less heavily on you, and you’ll know it’s because they have the skills to manage these issues on their own–because you’ve taught them.
This has been one of the greatest parts of the Thriving Leaders program–seeing managers shift how they lead in a way that’s both more sustainable for them and more empowering for their teams.
If you’d like to learn more about the program, see here.
