A primary role of a leader is to be a visionary and to help their team with the most strategic initiatives. However, it is a dis-service to the team if they are not encouraged/allowed to develop plans and potential solutions prior asking leadership for direction.
One of my best friends who also subscribes to these leadership posts sent me the following quote from the Alice in Wonderland Book:
“Alice came to a fork in the road.
‘Which road do I take?’ she asked.
‘Where do you want to go?’ responded the Cheshire Cat.
‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered.
‘Then,’ said the Cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.”
I rarely use quotes from other sources, but I could find no better way to get the point across. How can Leaders help someone if they have yet to think through a solution/plan for what they are presenting as an opportunity or a problem? When someone asks for direction, the first question to ask is what they think the solution is. By doing this leaders are empowering the team to think strategically, grow, and to become the future leaders of the organization. If this is not being done, it is really a one person show where the leader is the bottleneck to growth. Everyone benefits when leaders have the discipline to help at the right time and to require thinking and planning as a prerequisite.
Devoted to Leadership 