By Rachel Smith
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Throughout my career, I have worked with and coached many different types of leaders. Two stand out to me for very different reasons.
One was a very traditional, old-school leader. He believed he had all the answers and needed to make all the decisions. He gave constant direction, rarely asked for opinions and didn’t create much room for others to challenge his thinking. He believed the way he had always done things was the only way, so ideas would be shut down quickly.
He created a culture where people stopped thinking for themselves.
They became afraid to make mistakes because mistakes could lead to blame or finger-pointing. Some stayed quiet. Others waited for direction. Trust declined, conflict increased and people began protecting themselves instead of working together.
Creativity was stifled. Priorities continually changed, creating confusion and chaos. When the leader wasn’t there to provide direction, people often didn’t know what to do. And eventually talented leaders left. It was like a revolving door.
I’ve seen another kind of leadership, too.
This leader didn’t walk into the room believing he needed to be the smartest person in it. He brought the right people to the table and asked great questions.
He wanted opinions even when they were different from his own. He didn’t want people saying “yes” or agreeing just because he was the boss.
He created opportunities for people to get to know one another, understand what motivated each one and talk openly about what was working and what wasn’t. He consistently expressed gratitude and recognized people for their contributions. They knew their work mattered.
But this wasn’t leadership without accountability.
Expectations were clear. People knew who owned an initiative, what needed to be accomplished and when it was due. There were consistent one-on-ones, team meetings and check-ins. He didn’t tell people exactly how to accomplish every task. He gave them room to figure that out.
The results followed.
Employees became more engaged. Clients were happier. Business grew. The organization regained clients and produced some of its strongest results.
People showed up because they wanted to.
There is an important lesson in the difference between these two leaders.
Your job as a leader isn’t to solve every problem. Your job is to develop people who can solve problems without you.
When someone walks into your office with a problem and you know the answer, giving it to them is faster.
When someone is approaching something differently than you would, taking over can feel easier.
When you’re ultimately accountable for the result, controlling how the work gets done can even feel like responsible leadership.
But every time we immediately provide the answer, we may be solving today’s problem while unintentionally creating tomorrow’s dependency.
Instead, try asking a question.
What do you think we should do?
What have you already tried?
What other perspective might we be missing?
Who else should be part of this conversation?
What does failing look like? (I really like this question.)
Then listen.
You may discover your people have ideas you’ve never considered. They may find a different path to the same goal. They may even try something that doesn’t work.
And that’s OK.
Part of developing people is creating enough space for them to explore, make mistakes and learn from them.
That doesn’t mean stepping away from leadership. Autonomy isn’t absence.
Set clear expectations. Establish ownership. Agree on deadlines. Check in. Hold people accountable for results. Be available when they need support.
Then give them room to determine the how.
Sometimes leaders tell me, “It’s just faster if I do it myself.”
They’re probably right. Today.
But leadership isn’t only about getting today’s task completed. It’s about building the capability your organization will need for the future.
I always say, a short-term investment in development and coaching, creates long-term gains. When we invest in our people, we’re investing in the future of our organizations.
So here’s a question worth considering:
If you weren’t there tomorrow, would your people know what to do?
If the answer is no, becoming more involved may not be the solution.
Maybe it’s time to stop giving so many answers and start asking more questions.
A great leader isn’t someone who knows all the answers. A great leader brings the right people to the table and creates an environment where they can share ideas, challenge one another, fail, learn from mistakes and ultimately succeed.
Rachel Smith is an executive leadership coach, consultant, TEDx speaker and founder of Rachel Smith Coaching LLC. With nearly three decades of leadership experience leading global teams and coaching executives, business owners and emerging leaders, she helps individuals and organizations strengthen leadership, improve communication, build high-performing teams and create lasting organizational change. To learn more about executive coaching, leadership development, speaking engagements or corporate consulting, connect with Rachel Smith Coaching on LinkedIn.
