Stop Solving Every Problem for Your People

Rachel Smith contrasts two leadership styles she's encountered in her coaching and career work. One leader made nearly every decision, expected to be the smartest person in the room, and shut down dissenting ideas. The other leader welcomed different perspectives, asked questions, recognized contributions, and held people accountable for results without prescribing every step.

When leaders supply quick answers and tightly control execution, teams stop thinking for themselves. People wait for direction, fear mistakes, and focus on self-protection. Trust declines, conflict rises, creativity is reduced, priorities shift chaotically, and talent leaves. Tasks may be completed faster in the short term, but the organization loses the ability to operate without the leader present.

Smith describes leaders who recruit capable people, encourage open conversation, and create time for team members to get to know each other's motivations. They ask good questions, express gratitude, and recognize work. Importantly, they set clear expectations: who owns initiatives, what success looks like, and when deliverables are due. They give autonomy on how work gets done while maintaining regular one-on-ones, team check-ins, and accountability measures.

Practical questions to ask instead of giving answers

• What do you think we should do?
• What have you already tried?
• What perspective might we be missing?
• Who else should be part of this conversation?
• What does failing look like?

Leaders often say, "It's faster if I do it myself." Smith accepts that may be true today but warns it sacrifices future capacity. A short-term gain in speed can create long-term dependency. Investing time in coaching and development slows an immediate task response but builds the capability an organization will need later.

• Name owners for initiatives and agree on deliverables and deadlines.
• Maintain predictable cadence: one-on-ones, team meetings, and status check-ins.
• Allow teams to determine the how, with the leader available for support.
• Treat mistakes as learning events when expectations and boundaries are clear.

Key question to evaluate your leadership impact

Ask yourself: If you weren't there tomorrow, would your people know what to do? If the answer is no, the solution likely isn't becoming more involved in day-to-day tasks. It's developing people to act decisively and responsibly without you.

Rachel Smith is an executive leadership coach, consultant, TEDx speaker and founder of Rachel Smith Coaching LLC. She draws on nearly three decades of leadership experience leading global teams and coaching executives, business owners and emerging leaders to make the case that leadership is a long-term investment in people and organizational capability.