Fostering self-solving capacity in your Team: A leader’s guide

As a managing partner at Bravoure, I’ve often reflected on the role of advice-giving as a manager. While it’s natural to enjoy solving problems and offering guidance, I’ve realized that a more effective approach involves empowering team members to find their own solutions.

This shift from being an advisor to becoming a coach can transform not just individual performance but also the entire organizational culture.

The power of self-solving

Imagine your role not as someone who directs the best course of action, but as a guide who illuminates the path, enabling others to recognize the right direction on their own. This approach fosters independence and builds a stronger, more resilient team.

Since my past roles at Bravoure were always operational-driven, I tend to give the answer right away, tell them how I handled a similar situation or I want to be involved in the solution. But this was not helping them to come up with the solution itself, was taking away any room for accountability and self solving power. It taught me the value of encouraging others to trust their instincts and uncover solutions through self-reflection.

Engaging in deep conversations

And the answer could be as “simple” as, asking questions to enhance your team’s self-solving capacity. Help them achieve clarity, understanding and navigate through layers of confusion or emotional barriers to reach the core issue.

As a leader, your role is to facilitate these deep and authentic conversations. By connecting on a deeper level, you not only build stronger relationships but also help your team members understand their own challenges and solutions better. This process often leads to an “ahaaa moment”—a sudden, clear realization of the solution. They own the issue and the solution and know they are much more likely to act.

Shifting to a coaching mindset

Transitioning from an advisor to a coach involves creating a space where your team can develop their solutions. Here are key strategies to foster this environment:

Ask Clarifying Questions: Open-ended questions prompt deeper thinking and richer conversations. Instead of offering solutions, ask questions like, “What have you thought about?” This encourages team members to reflect on their knowledge and the impacts of their actions, leading to self-discovered solutions. The two best words are “What else?” or “Say more.”
Be Authentic and Curious: Engage genuinely with your team. Challenge your own perceptions and encourage them to do the same. This mutual exploration often unearths insights that were previously obscured by assumptions and biases. Go into the conversation with the motivation to help, not further a hidden agenda!
Embrace the Discomfort: Growth often comes from uncomfortable situations. Encourage your team to embrace these moments as opportunities for learning and development. This mindset shift from seeing challenges as obstacles to viewing them as growth opportunities can significantly enhance problem-solving capabilities. Inquire about their emotions. Emotions give the lit match something to ignite. “Given the scenario you just described, what do you feel?”

The benefits of a self-solving team

Empowering your team to solve their problems has far-reaching benefits. It promotes self-reflection and contributes to both personal and professional growth. Solutions generated through self-reflection are more likely to be effective and sustainable because they come from a place of genuine understanding.

This approach fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual support, reducing dependency on leaders for every decision. It encourages a proactive attitude, where team members feel confident in their abilities to navigate challenges and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s success.

Transforming your leadership approach from advice-giving to coaching can have profound effects on your team’s ability to solve problems independently. By engaging in deep, authentic conversations and fostering a supportive environment, you empower your team to develop their solutions, driving both individual and collective success!

As a managing partner at Bravoure, I’ve often reflected on the role of advice-giving as a manager. While it’s natural to enjoy solving problems and offering guidance, I’ve realized that a more effective approach involves empowering team members to find their own solutions.

This shift from being an advisor to becoming a coach can transform not just individual performance but also the entire organizational culture.

The power of self-solving

Imagine your role not as someone who directs the best course of action, but as a guide who illuminates the path, enabling others to recognize the right direction on their own. This approach fosters independence and builds a stronger, more resilient team.

Since my past roles at Bravoure were always operational-driven, I tend to give the answer right away, tell them how I handled a similar situation or I want to be involved in the solution. But this was not helping them to come up with the solution itself, was taking away any room for accountability and self solving power. It taught me the value of encouraging others to trust their instincts and uncover solutions through self-reflection.

Engaging in deep conversations

And the answer could be as “simple” as, asking questions to enhance your team’s self-solving capacity. Help them achieve clarity, understanding and navigate through layers of confusion or emotional barriers to reach the core issue.

As a leader, your role is to facilitate these deep and authentic conversations. By connecting on a deeper level, you not only build stronger relationships but also help your team members understand their own challenges and solutions better. This process often leads to an “ahaaa moment”—a sudden, clear realization of the solution. They own the issue and the solution and know they are much more likely to act.

Shifting to a coaching mindset

Transitioning from an advisor to a coach involves creating a space where your team can develop their solutions. Here are key strategies to foster this environment:

Ask Clarifying Questions: Open-ended questions prompt deeper thinking and richer conversations. Instead of offering solutions, ask questions like, “What have you thought about?” This encourages team members to reflect on their knowledge and the impacts of their actions, leading to self-discovered solutions. The two best words are “What else?” or “Say more.”
Be Authentic and Curious: Engage genuinely with your team. Challenge your own perceptions and encourage them to do the same. This mutual exploration often unearths insights that were previously obscured by assumptions and biases. Go into the conversation with the motivation to help, not further a hidden agenda!
Embrace the Discomfort: Growth often comes from uncomfortable situations. Encourage your team to embrace these moments as opportunities for learning and development. This mindset shift from seeing challenges as obstacles to viewing them as growth opportunities can significantly enhance problem-solving capabilities. Inquire about their emotions. Emotions give the lit match something to ignite. “Given the scenario you just described, what do you feel?”

The benefits of a self-solving team

Empowering your team to solve their problems has far-reaching benefits. It promotes self-reflection and contributes to both personal and professional growth. Solutions generated through self-reflection are more likely to be effective and sustainable because they come from a place of genuine understanding.

This approach fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual support, reducing dependency on leaders for every decision. It encourages a proactive attitude, where team members feel confident in their abilities to navigate challenges and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s success.

Transforming your leadership approach from advice-giving to coaching can have profound effects on your team’s ability to solve problems independently. By engaging in deep, authentic conversations and fostering a supportive environment, you empower your team to develop their solutions, driving both individual and collective success!

As a managing partner at Bravoure, I’ve often reflected on the role of advice-giving as a manager. While it’s natural to enjoy solving problems and offering guidance, I’ve realized that a more effective approach involves empowering team members to find their own solutions.

This shift from being an advisor to becoming a coach can transform not just individual performance but also the entire organizational culture.

The power of self-solving

Imagine your role not as someone who directs the best course of action, but as a guide who illuminates the path, enabling others to recognize the right direction on their own. This approach fosters independence and builds a stronger, more resilient team.

Since my past roles at Bravoure were always operational-driven, I tend to give the answer right away, tell them how I handled a similar situation or I want to be involved in the solution. But this was not helping them to come up with the solution itself, was taking away any room for accountability and self solving power. It taught me the value of encouraging others to trust their instincts and uncover solutions through self-reflection.

Engaging in deep conversations

And the answer could be as “simple” as, asking questions to enhance your team’s self-solving capacity. Help them achieve clarity, understanding and navigate through layers of confusion or emotional barriers to reach the core issue.

As a leader, your role is to facilitate these deep and authentic conversations. By connecting on a deeper level, you not only build stronger relationships but also help your team members understand their own challenges and solutions better. This process often leads to an “ahaaa moment”—a sudden, clear realization of the solution. They own the issue and the solution and know they are much more likely to act.

Shifting to a coaching mindset

Transitioning from an advisor to a coach involves creating a space where your team can develop their solutions. Here are key strategies to foster this environment:

Ask Clarifying Questions: Open-ended questions prompt deeper thinking and richer conversations. Instead of offering solutions, ask questions like, “What have you thought about?” This encourages team members to reflect on their knowledge and the impacts of their actions, leading to self-discovered solutions. The two best words are “What else?” or “Say more.”
Be Authentic and Curious: Engage genuinely with your team. Challenge your own perceptions and encourage them to do the same. This mutual exploration often unearths insights that were previously obscured by assumptions and biases. Go into the conversation with the motivation to help, not further a hidden agenda!
Embrace the Discomfort: Growth often comes from uncomfortable situations. Encourage your team to embrace these moments as opportunities for learning and development. This mindset shift from seeing challenges as obstacles to viewing them as growth opportunities can significantly enhance problem-solving capabilities. Inquire about their emotions. Emotions give the lit match something to ignite. “Given the scenario you just described, what do you feel?”

The benefits of a self-solving team

Empowering your team to solve their problems has far-reaching benefits. It promotes self-reflection and contributes to both personal and professional growth. Solutions generated through self-reflection are more likely to be effective and sustainable because they come from a place of genuine understanding.

This approach fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual support, reducing dependency on leaders for every decision. It encourages a proactive attitude, where team members feel confident in their abilities to navigate challenges and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s success.

Transforming your leadership approach from advice-giving to coaching can have profound effects on your team’s ability to solve problems independently. By engaging in deep, authentic conversations and fostering a supportive environment, you empower your team to develop their solutions, driving both individual and collective success!