You are a leader because you are resourceful and you get shit done. Because of experience, training, etc, you have a vantage point that people who work for you don’t see. It can be easy to use your particular power and vantage point to educate your team on “the right way” to get things done. Part three on my having tough conversations at work series is about creating a space for your team to work through solutions to issues that come up at work.
If you haven’t listened to part 1 and part 2 of the series yet, go back and check those out.
This particular piece to having tough conversations inhibited my progress as a young leader. People would come to me with issues and problems and, as a hero striding in on the white horse, I would graciously and proudly solve their problems. I would send them on their way, pat myself on the back for a job well done and then go about my business.
The one thing I realized about my approach was that my team’s performance didn’t improve, in fact, it got worse in many ways. A hero, I was not.
Part three of the tough conversations at work series is about how to create the space for your team to take ownership and come up with solutions to their own problems.
If you haven’t subscribed to get regular updates, check the show out on iTunes or Stitcher.