A productivity trap for leaders has them think they have to have all the answers. He or she is in a position of authority and some may consider the boss to be more like a teacher or a parent. We tend to ask these people a lot of questions.
The problem is that you’re not a teacher or a parent. Your job is to maximize the time and talent of your team. That includes you and it’s hard to do if you’re constantly answering questions. You can’t be expected to know everything and trying to do so eats up a lot of time, time away from your big picture goals.
Imagine the life of a rock star. Do you want the rock star to spend a lot of time talking about what he or she had for breakfast or do you want them making music.
This concept isn’t a ban on answering questions but rather a way to make sure they don’t take up too much of your day. It’s high stress for you, low engagement for your team. Consider these tips the next time you feel you have to have all the answers:
Solving a Problem
Tell your team that if they bring you a problem, then they should bring a couple of solutions as well. It’s difficult to know everything about an organization and it’s easier to pick from a few solutions or start the discussion from there, rather than start from scratch. Educating yourself on a problem you know nothing about takes time.
If someone on your team is the expert on a situation, then don’t think you have to match their expertise. You just need to work with them to navigate to the best solution.
Accelerate Innovation
It’s easy to train people to think of you being the only person who has all the answers. While it’s good for the ego, it’s bad for innovation.
Why should people think of new ideas if you’re seen as all knowing? If someone thinks of a better way to do something, they shouldn’t be sitting on the idea. Use the knowledge of the people who are doing the work to make processes better.
Four Magic Words
Simply by asking, “What do you think?” you can better engage your team. Some may have gotten used to thinking their opinions don’t matter or their input is not required.
By asking, you’re giving them the opportunity to be be a hero and solve a problem. You’re also requiring them to be thinking about things at a higher level. “I dunno,” is no longer an acceptable response.
Final Thought
Not being the source of all the answers is not a sign of weakness. It’s a way to strengthen your team.
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