Leading - Enable Others — Develop Confidence & Competence

By Andrew Lewis

When we leap in with the answer to the questions of our team—we feel good. We’re helping right? We certainly are demonstrating that we have the requisite knowledge to lead the team, aren’t we? No.
When we leap to the rescue and solve our team’s problems we take from them the most valuable aspect of a challenge—finding the solution.
You don’t have to have all the answers. However, you do have to have the ability to help your team find the answers. By asking your team member what he or she thinks needs to be done to resolve a problem and then working collaboratively to explore the underlying barriers, you are allowing practice in the art of problem solving.

Questions are the key—not answers. An answer solves the immediate problem,
working together to find the answer develops confidence and competence.

What Questions?

• If (when) one of your team members brings you a problem this week try using these questions:
• What do you think we should do?
• Have we identified the true root cause?
• Will this problem occur again? Why or Why not?
• Do others face this problem?
• Will this solution cause other problems?