Who's drawing the map?
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Okay, so last month was about daring you to put the problem solving back on your people. Not completely; just start setting the expectation that they’ve thought about what they want before they turn to you, not just about what’s in the way.
If you gave that a crack, you’re on your way as an experimentalist leader. Some of the people you lead might have taken to it; others might have felt a bit of frustration as you gently nudged them to do their own thinking.
Wanna turn it up a bit? It’s possible that you got your people as far as describing what success looks like, then you drew the map for them. You may have even walked along the path to make sure they were okay.
What if you stretched them (and yourself) a bit more now? What if you got them to draw the map - to fill in the blanks between where they are and where they want to be? How much difference would that make to them taking ownership of the work? And how satisfying would it be to them to know they came up with creative ideas that they then got to make real?
So how do we make that all happen? Well, with questions. Again. It’s fun though. And it’s a build on the (un)magic GROW button.
If step one was questions that get them to articulate success, step two is questions that ask them to map the way. It’s not just those people you lead who might feel the discomfort with this. As leaders, we all love to help our people. Out of the goodness of our heart (and sometimes the need for an ego stroke), we jump in, bathe people in our expertise, and humbly accept the accolades of having all the knowledge. Now, the challenge is to step back. Instead of being the expert, be the enabler. Instead of solving, let your people learn themselves (or from each other). Instead of drawing the map, set the parameters and let them find their way.
Your job is no longer to be the expert in the field you came from. It’s now to become an expert in the field you’ve entered - leadership.
Here’s one way you might try this out:
Over the next month, what’s one different thing each week you can hold yourself back from solving for people? Instead of jumping in, what questions can you ask that will get them to:
Describe success
Describe where they are now
Draw the map
Remember, this is all in service of you exiting the weeds and getting on with leading. It’s about holding your space on the field so you have the energy to play your position. And, most of all, it’s helping you create the kind of environment where your people show up as the best versions of themselves.