Sometimes, in order to be helpful, you actually need to be unhelpful.
Do you remember back in the day when you used to watch cartoons, and the cartoon character had a little cloud above their head that helped you understand they were thinking about something? Now, I want you to think about the “Thinking Bubble” in the context of your interactions with your team members. Usually, managers and owners get bogged down by stuff they don’t need to get bogged down by because when their team members come to them with a problem, the thinking bubble is above the manager’s head, and the manager starts to solve all the problems for that particular team member.
If you are the person that always solves the problems, if you always give people the easy way out, then you are training them to bring their problems to you each and every single time. Your job isn’t to have a thinking bubble above your head; your job is to become an expert at moving the thinking bubble over your team member’s head every single time they bring a challenge to you. Help them think through their own challenges and problems. Ask them questions instead of giving them answers just because it’s easy.
And just because it’s common sense doesn’t mean that you’re actually doing this consistently. Make sure that you get really good at raising your levels of awareness around when the thinking bubble is above your head instead of the team member’s head. Get great at asking good quality questions that help people solve their own problems. Empower your people to deal with challenges, to think through things before they come to you. That way, you will find that you will have more bandwidth to do the stuff that you need to do, and they become more effective and more independent. And that autonomy is so much better for everybody, you included.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Discover how my tailored business coaching services can transform your strategy and drive success. For more insights and guidance from me, your expert business coach, visit my homepage. And don’t forget to check out my MYOB section for free business advice that can help you stay ahead in the competitive business world.
