NEW EPISODE
AVAILABLE NOW
If you’re trying to figure out how to manage employees who are smart, capable and experienced—but somehow every decision still comes back to you—the problem may not be your team.
You may have accidentally taught them that asking you is easier than making the decision themselves.
It happens for all the right reasons. You know the answer. You want to help. And sometimes it feels much faster to make the call and move on. But every time you do, you may be solving today’s problem while reinforcing tomorrow’s dependency.
One of the most important leadership skills you can develop is knowing when not to provide the answer. If you want to know how to lead a team that can think independently, start by returning the thinking to them. Ask: What do you think we should do? What have you considered? What would you recommend?
That shift creates space for stronger decision making—but questions alone aren’t enough.
Managing employees with greater ownership also means being clear about decision-making authority. What can your people decide independently? When should they involve you? What financial, policy or other guardrails need to be in place?
This matters when holding employees accountable, too. You can’t give someone responsibility for an outcome while requiring your approval for every meaningful decision that affects it. Many leadership struggles in teams start when we hand over the responsibility without enough authority to go with it.
So this week, choose one category of decisions your team is capable of making that you’re still making for them. Give them ownership. Define the guardrails. Then pay attention to what you do when that decision comes back to you.
Because learning how to manage employees isn’t about becoming the person with all the answers. It’s about building the capability around you so you don’t have to be.
If you’re ready to take this further, join me for the Beyond the Bottleneck Masterclass on September 30 at 1 p.m. Mountain / 3 p.m. Eastern. We’ll look at why everything keeps finding its way back to you and what needs to shift so your team can think, decide, and deliver with greater ownership.
Register for the Masterclass Here!
And if you’re ready to feel more confident in how you manage your team and make decisions as a leader, this is a good place to start. Listen to the show here:
•Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/43mOE8iU4bbiPyOYQBk4PI?si=de340ece7f8348d0
•Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-people-side-of-business-team-management/id1554492119
_______________________________________________________________________
The People Side of Business is the podcast for female founders and business owners who are leading teams and growing businesses.
Hosted by Lindsay White, Leadership Coach, Team Leadership Strategist, and Fractional HR Expert, this show delivers practical leadership strategies, real-world people solutions, and honest conversations about the challenges of leading a team.
From employee performance issues and difficult conversations to hiring, accountability, workplace culture, and team growth, each episode is designed to help you lead, manage, and scale your team as a founder.
If you're ready to become a more confident leader, make better people decisions, and build a stronger, higher-performing team, you're in the right place.
Learn more at highvoltageleadership.ca, connect on Instagram @highvoltleadership, or find Lindsay White on LinkedIn.
The people side of business isn't separate from growth. The people side of business is the business.
More Episodes
Employee issues can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you feel like you're having the same conversations over and over again.
Someone misses a deadline. Another person isn't communicating. Someone else isn't taking ownership of their work. And you're left wondering why your team can't seem to get on the same page.
But what if those employee issues aren't actually separate problems?
In this episode, I'm sharing the story of Judy, a founder I worked with who was experiencing exactly this. She had a talented team and a growing business, but it seemed like every week brought another frustration.
If you’re trying to figure out how to scale a team, you might assume hiring more people will finally give you more capacity.
So why are you somehow busier than you were before?
In this episode, we’re looking at why learning how to scale a team takes more than simply adding people.
Subscribe To The High Voltage Hub!
Sign up now to receive bi-weekly news and updates. We will never spam you!