If you give answers you become the dispensary for answers. Your people will keep coming back to you when they have questions. They won’t think for themselves and you will have an unending stream of people at your door, in your email box, and on your phone.
If you answer questions with questions, such as “what would you do?”, “what do you think we should do?” “why do you think that?” “What criteria should you apply to decide what to do?”, “I believe you can figure that out. Did you really need to ask me?”, then you will empower your people to help you operate the business, and get more of their abilities than you are getting now.
Larry,
On the door to my office I have a sign that says, “What would Steven do?” If/when a team member comes to me for an answer to a question that they, in my mind, already know… I point to the sign. Undoubtedly, they have the answer; but, they need encouragement even though they are empowered to make that very decision.
Good things to remember
Preach!
I am grateful for Mike Lane as well!
God bless Mike Lane . I am grateful for him every day…