Learn From Don’t Lean On
Empowering Your Team Through Coaching Leadership
As purpose-driven leaders, our ultimate goal is to cultivate a culture of empowerment where every team member feels equipped and inspired to make on-brand decisions that drive the organization forward.
But in our well-intentioned efforts to support our people, it's all too easy to slip into a pattern of providing answers rather than fostering growth.
That's where the concept of "learn from, don't lean on" comes in – a powerful mindset shift that can transform the way we lead and the impact we create.
At its core, "learn from, don't lean on" is about reframing our role as leaders from problem-solvers to coaches. It's about resisting the urge to swoop in with solutions at the first sign of a challenge, and instead, empowering our team members to navigate obstacles and find their own way forward.
By providing guidance and support rather than directives, we create space for our people to stretch, take risks, and ultimately, own their growth and contributions.
Next, we must ask them to leverage that knowledge through coaching instead of providing answers because it’s easy and feels good.
This coaching approach requires a degree of intentional stepping back – a willingness to remove ourselves from the day-to-day minutiae and client-facing activities that can consume our bandwidth and blur our perspective.
It can feel counterintuitive at first, like we're letting go of the reins just when our team needs us most. But in reality, it's a profound act of trust and empowerment that sends a clear message: we believe in our people's ability to rise to the occasion.
Think of it as ripping off the bandaid – a short-term discomfort that yields long-term rewards. When we're not always in the weeds, we're forced to relinquish our grip on context and control. Our team members, in turn, are challenged to step up, think critically, and take ownership of their work. They learn to rely on their own judgment and resourcefulness rather than defaulting to seeking our input at every turn.
The benefits of this approach ripple out across the organization. As our people grow in confidence and capability, they're able to take on more complex challenges and drive more meaningful impact.
They become the kind of proactive, adaptable leaders that are the lifeblood of a resilient, purpose-driven culture. And as we're freed up from constant firefighting, we're able to focus on the higher-level strategic thinking that's essential to steering the ship.
Of course, embracing a "learn from, don't lean on" mindset doesn't mean abandoning our team altogether. It's about striking a balance – knowing when to offer guidance and when to step back, when to provide a sounding board and when to let our people find their own answers. It's about investing in their development not just through formal brand training, but through every interaction and decision.
As purpose-driven leaders, we have a responsibility to empower our people to reach their full potential – to learn, grow, and make their unique mark on our shared vision for the future.
By embracing a coaching mindset and intentionally stepping back, we give them the space and support to do just that.
So let's rip off the bandaid, trust in our teams, and watch them soar.
