How to Stop Firefighting and Start Growing Your Team

In my “Leader as Coach” workshops, I often share this simple shift:

This is one of the most sustainable shifts you can make as a leader, especially if you find yourself constantly solving, directing, or firefighting.

Coaching as a leader means helping your team think better, not just telling them what to do. It develops people while also making your life easier. You get better thinking, more ownership, and fewer bottlenecks – including you.

Next time someone comes to you for input, resist the reflex to solve. Instead, try one of these:

• "What have you already tried?”

• "What's your current thinking?”

• “What's the real challenge here for you?”

• “What does good look like?”

• “What do you need from me right now?”

It's not soft. It's strategic.
And it's how leaders grow people, and protect their own bandwidth.

P.S. This shift works best in everyday or lower-stakes moments, not in emergencies or high-stakes situations where clarity and speed are critical.