Do you remember the feeling you had after being promoted into a leadership role?
For many of us, once the euphoria subsides, the work doesn’t feel as productive (or as much fun) compared to the tasks we used to undertake. We’re easily drawn back into doing the same work as we did before while adding more meetings and admin tasks to our schedules.
Your primary role as a leader is to build your teams.
For new managers this can be especially challenging as your natural instinct is probably to be “liked”.
Next time you are tempted to solve a problem for your team though, stop yourself and turn it in to a learning opportunity instead!
💡 You’re not the team captain, you’re the coach! Your role is to set clear expectations, communicate who is accountable, and give your team the tools they need to succeed.
💡 When someone comes to you with a problem, ask the right questions. Firstly, “What do you think the solution is?” Teach your team to problem-solve for themselves. “Have you thought about alternative approaches? What can we sacrifice without detracting from the overall value of the project? Who can you share the problem with to seek a different perspective?”
💡 Think about your future. You shouldn’t make yourself indispensable to your team, rather the goal should be to build a team so strong you can’t tell who the leaders is.
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Article credit: Martin G. Moore for Harvard Business Review