If you’re a tech leader, you’ve probably had this happen: your team comes to you with a problem. You know the answer immediately. In less than a minute, you could fix it, save time, and move on.
So you do it. You give them the solution. Problem solved.
But the next week, or even the next day, they come back with another issue. And again, you’re the one fixing it. Before long, you’re drowning in small problems while your team waits for your input.
The Hidden Cost of Fixing Everything Yourself
It feels productive to jump in and solve things quickly. But here’s the trap: every time you fix something, you create a dependency. Your team learns to bring problems to you instead of solving things themselves.
That means:
- You become the bottleneck
- Your team doesn’t grow
- You stay stuck in the weeds instead of focusing on strategy and leadership
For leaders aiming for executive roles, this is dangerous. Executives aren’t judged by how many problems they fix themselves. They’re judged by how strong their teams are.
What Real Delegation Looks Like
Delegation isn’t about dumping tasks or stepping away completely. It’s about teaching your team how to think and solve problems the way you would.
That takes patience. It’s slower in the short term, but in the long term it builds a team that can handle more on their own. And that frees you up to focus on bigger, enterprise-level responsibilities — the kind that actually get you promoted.
So instead of fixing the problem for them, pause and ask yourself:
- What steps did I just take in my head to reach this answer?
- Why did I choose this approach?
- What principles guided my decision?
Then share that thinking with your team and ask them to try again using your feedback.
A Practical Approach to Delegation
Here’s a way to shift from problem-solver to teacher:
- Pause before answering: don’t give the fix right away
- Explain your thinking: share why you’d approach it a certain way
- Guide, don’t do: ask them to redo the work or reframe the problem with your input
- Repeat the cycle: it may take 2 or 3 tries, but over time they’ll get better and faster
For example:
Instead of rewriting an email for your team member, explain how their version missed the mark. Maybe it wasn’t specific enough, or it highlighted the wrong problem. Walk them through your reasoning and then ask them to try again.
Yes, it takes more time at first. But each round is an investment. Eventually, they’ll learn to anticipate what you’re looking for, and they’ll start bringing stronger solutions without your help.
How to Shift Your Leadership Mindset
If you want to grow as a leader, you have to stop measuring success by how many fires you put out. Start measuring success by how many fires your team can handle.
That’s the mark of an executive-level leader: someone who doesn’t just solve problems, but builds problem-solvers.
Notes from Drew
Everything changed when I learned to step back and teach. My teams became stronger, more confident, and less dependent on me. And that gave me space to take on the bigger, strategic responsibilities that led to more promotions.
My advice:
- Stop fixing things yourself
- Start teaching the “why” behind your decisions
- Give your team space to learn and grow
That’s how you move from being a great manager to being seen as executive-ready leader.
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