When I think about the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence on me, one quality stands out above almost everything else.
They gave me confidence.
Not because they removed every challenge, but because they trusted me to work through them.
At the time, I didn’t always appreciate it.
Sometimes I wished they’d simply tell me the answer.
Instead, they asked questions.
They challenged my thinking and they encouraged me to back myself.
Looking back, I realise they weren’t just helping me solve a problem.
They were helping me become the kind of leader who could solve the next one.
That’s resilience.
Not avoiding difficulty.
Growing through it.
As leaders, we often spend a lot of time trying to make work easier for our teams.
There’s nothing wrong with removing unnecessary barriers.
But we also need to ask ourselves whether we’re creating enough opportunities for people to stretch, learn and discover what they’re capable of.
Confidence doesn’t appear overnight.
It grows through experience.
Through trust and support.
Through being given opportunities just beyond our comfort zone.
As you head into the weekend, I’d encourage you to reflect on this question:
“Are you protecting your team from challenge—or preparing them for it?”
There’s an important difference.
The leaders who make the greatest long-term impact are remembered because they helped other people become capable of solving problems themselves.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Leave a Reply