I have the honor and privilege of partnering with and supporting leaders at all levels as well as with  leadership groups and teams. One of my favorite questions to ask when working with leaders is “How many of you feel you have to have all the answers?”. I am always amazed at the number of hands that go up when I ask this question – most leaders feel that it is their role to be fully informed and to know everything! Imagine what might be possible if you let go, and committed to not always knowing.

Trust and Empower

Helping leaders understand the gift of “not knowing” and trusting and empowering others to dig deep to answer their own questions opens up so much opportunity for growth and development, engagement and ultimately stronger contributors and healthier, high-performing teams. It also allows the leaders to focus on more important, and often strategic work.

I’ve witnessed leaders who turn to “fix-it” mode, or jump in to do the work that is no longer necessary for them to do. They often share with me that this is their go-to mode because it’s easier for them to do it than to spend the time helping someone learn. When this happens, the leader takes power away from others – and prevent them from growing and developing. This tends to lead to statements and feelings such as “why should I bother”, “I must not be good enough” and ultimately leads to low engagement or disengagement.

Employee Engagement is low in many organizations

This article from Gallup reveals the continued challenge employers have keeping their employees engaged. In fact, it states that “the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level [of employee engagement] in more than a decade.” This article points to lower engagement among:

• “younger employees – who feel less connected to their organization’s culture”
• Remote employees
• Those who are working on-site but could function remotely

What I have learned through surveys I’ve implemented with client organizations, and through conversations, is that engagement is low among those who:

• Work in an organization where leaders seem not to trust or empower others
• Feel they don’t have the ability to learn and grow
• Sense a lack of purpose or connection to their work
• And other factors

More Benefits of Not Always Knowing

When you let go and step away from “always knowing” you create opportunities for curiosity, input from others, idea generation, innovation, higher engagement, and deepening connections.

What do you notice in yourself and/or your organization? What one action could you take to improve your ability to empower those around you and step away from “always knowing”? Curious to learn more? I work with individuals, teams and organizations supporting them to perform at their most optimal level. I also support organizations to focus on improving their culture. Want to learn more about how I could support you or help you help others? Let’s connect.

“Being at ease with not knowing is crucial for answers to come to you.” – Eckhart Tolle