Don't Protect Your Team from Fires

We will encounter unlimited fire drills in our careers.

You know the type. Projects or tasks that pop-up unexpectedly, are urgent, and need to be completed ASAP. Everyone's hair bursts into flames as they try to figure out how to solve the problem and who should solve it. It's a stressful moment for everyone involved.

But someone usually comes in to save the day.

The manager.

Don't protect your team

The manager (possibly you) has the most experience, knowledge, and can put out the fire faster than a mental fire extinguisher.

You put out the fire, everyone breathes a sigh of relief, and continues on with their day.

But you made a mistake. You shouldn't have put out the fire. You took the easy way out.

You protected your team.

Let the team feel the burn

You should have let them feel what it's like to scramble. To coordinate with others to find a solution. To communicate progress when people wanted it done yesterday.

When you protect your team, you rob them of these learnings. You don't prepare them to handle the next fire. You don't give them experience for the next urgent situation.

The burn leads to learning.

Let the team put out the fire

Hand them the fire hose.

Delegate and let them feel the heat so they understand what it takes to remain calm within the smoke.

If your team is handling the fire, you can take a step back and analyze what started it. You can strategize how to prevent similar fires in the future. You can focus on the work only you can do.

Managers and leaders make impact when they have time to strategize.

So get out of the weeds, that's where fires start.