Marcia's Leadership Q and As: Do Wise Leaders Problem Solve?

Q. As the leader, I don’t have all the answers, but I do my best. How can I improve?

A. Great leaders solve few problems--alone! But they have the title and make the big bucks. Shouldn’t they be the problem solvers? No!

If you expect to solve all the big problems, and people wait for you to solve the issues, your company or team will choke! First, one person or even one team cannot be the bottleneck. Ideas, options, and diverse perspectives will be limited. Second, your team members will not feel appreciated or valued if they can’t contribute. The turnover rate can increase and they go where they can have a voice to share their ideas.

When teams or your staff have problems, should they come to you for answers? Decades ago, a division manager at a Fortune 100 corporation said he’d have a line of managers at his door seeking answers to their problems. He didn’t have all the answers either.

He transformed his approach and led the managers through a decision-making process. He asked them questions and asked to see their data. He asked for their recommendations for possible solutions and their reasoning to support them.

Very quickly, the managers learned not to line up for easy or quick answers. They shared a problem they were facing, but they also had gathered ideas from their team, relevant data, and possible solutions to propose. Together they collaborated and discovered an optimal result. The discussions pivoted from “throw me an easy answer” to “let’s have a meaningful discussion based on data in a context that can make a difference for the customer.”

Tapping in on your people’s ideas can develop your teams and transform your culture. That’s where the power of leadership is. Wise leaders don’t have all the answers.