How many problems reach you that your team could solve for themselves?
A colleague comes to you with an issue. Before they have finished explaining it, you are already working out the answer.
That response is understandable. You want to help, you have relevant experience and offering a solution may feel like the quickest way forward.
But when advice becomes your default, it can have unintended consequences.
Why are leaders so quick to offer answers?
Many leaders have progressed because of their knowledge, judgement and ability to solve difficult problems.
This is particularly common in scientific, engineering and technical environments, where expertise is highly valued. When someone brings you a challenge, using that expertise feels both helpful and efficient.
Sometimes it is exactly what the situation requires. Someone new to a role may need clear guidance. A crisis, safety concern or urgent decision may call for firm direction.
The difficulty arises when we give answers out of habit rather than considering what the person actually needs.
How can too much advice hold people back?
When you regularly step in with solutions, colleagues may become less likely to think an issue through before bringing it to you.
Over time:
Decisions move upwards unnecessarily
You become a bottleneck
People rely on your judgement rather than developing their own
Confidence and initiative can decline
Your team contributes fewer ideas and perspectives
You may also miss a better solution. The person closest to the work will often hold knowledge and insight that you don’t have.
This is one reason empowering your team involves more than delegating tasks. It also means giving people enough authority and confidence to use their judgement.
When I work with leaders, one of the most valuable shifts is learning to pause before responding. Instead of immediately asking,
“How can I solve this?”
consider:
“What does this person need from me right now?”
The answer may be direction, advice, challenge, encouragement or simply enough space to think.
What does a coaching leadership style involve?
A coaching-led approach doesn’t mean turning every conversation into a coaching session. Nor does it mean withholding your expertise when it would be useful.
It means recognising when a few thoughtful questions could help someone reach their own conclusion.
You might ask:
What is the real issue you need to resolve?
What have you considered so far?
What options are available to you?
How would you approach this if I weren’t here?
What are the risks of each option?
Who else could offer a useful perspective?
What support do you need from me?
What will you do next?
Questions like these return the thinking to the person who owns the issue. They also help you understand how that person is approaching the problem before deciding whether to add your own perspective.
You can still offer advice, but you do so intentionally and at the right point in the conversation.
If you want to develop this further, Elevate Team Problem-Solving Skills: The Power of Coaching Questions explores the practical use of questions in more detail.
Michael Bangay Stanier’s book ‘Say Less, Ask More and Change the Way You Lead Forever’ was recommended by a coaching client, and I continue to recommend it.
What could you try?
The next time someone brings you a problem, notice how quickly you begin forming an answer.
Pause.
Listen a little longer. Ask one or two questions before offering your view.
You may discover that your colleague needs less advice than you expected, and has more insight than either of you realised.
Effective leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about knowing when to provide direction and when to help others strengthen their judgement, confidence and independence.
What might change if your team brought you more recommendations and fewer problems?
If you would like your managers to develop a more flexible, coaching-led approach that builds ownership, confidence and stronger judgement, explore our Leading Effectively programme or contact me to discuss what would help your organisation.