It’s natural for employees to look to their leaders for guidance. However, this can put a lot of pressure on a manager—you know you don’t have all the answers all the time, and yet you may feel like your team expects you to.
Regardless of how many years of experience you have, you must be comfortable with the idea that you personally won’t have the solution to every problem that arises. In order for a company to succeed, your entire team must be able to learn and grow together. We asked a panel of Forbes Coaches Council members to offer advice for leaders who want to build a culture of comfortable collaboration.
1. Don’t Pretend You Have Answers When You Don’t
The most important thing to do in this situation is not to pretend you have all the answers. This will erode trust and credibility. It is really simple. As leaders, we need to get comfortable that we do not have all of the answers. This is a great opportunity to lean on others on the team to lend their expertise and help you get the answer. - Amy Modglin, Modglin Leadership Solutions
2. Be Vulnerable And Share Your Problems As A Leader
I am a big fan of transparency when it comes to leadership. Why not let them solve some of your biggest problems? Put the problems and challenges of the month clearly in front of them. Let them help you even if it means admitting, to some degree, your inability to figure something out. Let them help, be noticed and achieve by helping you. - John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
3. Let Go Of Being ‘Right’
Thinking that you need to have all of the answers is an old habit that many of us were taught long ago. Let go of the feeling that you need to be “right” and recognize that many hands go into creating results, not just your own. See this reality clearly and life is a lot easier. - Daphne Scott, DS Leadership Life
4. Proactively Seek Input
I always recommend that leaders proactively engage with their employees to get their perspective and insight when new processes are being created. This exhibits an interest in creating a collaborative environment. Leaders who are proactive in seeking input also gain the benefit of encouraging employees not only to ask questions, but provide solutions. - Tonya Echols, Vigere
5. Stay Focused On Solutions
If you create a company culture that is solutions-oriented, employees will have less of a tendency to expect the leader to have answers for everything. Having roundtable discussions with teams is a great way to come up with solutions together, and it takes the pressure off the leader to feel like they have to have all the answers. Effective leaders know how to tap into the talents of their teams. - Tamiko Cuellar, Pursue Your Purpose LLC
6. Ask The Right Questions
It is not about having the answers; it is about helping others to get the answer. That can be done by improving the quality of your questions. Questions enable and empower employees to think deeper, change perspectives and make decisions on their own. Sometimes all they need is just that little nudge from your questions. - KarFei Cheah, Mindvalley
6. Encourage Outside Mentorship
While it is flattering and ego-boosting to a leader to be seen as the sage or guru of their field, it would benefit the company and all employees to have outside perspectives offered by a mentor from a separate field. In addition, budgeting to hire an executive or leadership coach to work with employees is a huge asset for staff development. - Billy Williams, Archegos
7. Surround Yourself With Talented Top Performers
Good leaders surround themselves with other dynamic leaders possessing subject matter expertise beyond their own. When faced with challenges and problems, they then have resources they can call on and trust. For the subordinate leader, this promotes a sense of contribution, further driving a commitment to delivering the company’s business objectives. - Beverly Harvey, HarveyCareers, LLC
8. Slow Down And Listen
There is a powerful temptation for the new leader to be superhuman and solve problems. Here’s some advice: Slow down. Be genuinely curious. Seek to understand. Listen. That’s hard for a results-oriented executive who got promoted for getting things done. The leader’s role is to clear the way for the team to do their best work—and for the leader to get out of the way! - Bill Koch, Bill Koch Leadership Coaching
9. Provide The Facts You Do Know
Saying “I don’t know” is a sign of maturity, but at the same time, share your own observations and get the team’s input in thinking through potential scenarios and their probabilities. Keep others tethered to facts by giving them an honest and realistically optimistic assessment of the issues. In doing so, you’ll help the team build their own muscle for navigating through uncertainty and change. - Shoma Chatterjee Hayden, ghSMART
10. Remember That You’re Facilitating Everyone’s Growth
One of the healthiest and most critical roles a leader plays is to facilitate growth. If your team is not given a chance to learn, contribute and collaborate, people will not grow and more than likely will not stay. Not knowing all the answers gifts you the ability to provide these opportunities, prove that your team's learning and growth is important to you and present a humbleness that earns respect. - Lisa K McDonald, Career Polish, Inc.
11. Build A Culture Of Learning
To build a learning culture where employees embrace the unknown and the opportunity to learn, you must be willing to show that leaders are learning too. Use these moments as opportunities for your team to develop that culture of learning by openly discussing the issue, acknowledging the unknown and showing the openness to test a hypothesis. - Leanne Wong, True Talent Advisory
12. Learn To Communicate With Confidence And Authority
You need to be able to look people in the eye and respond in a way that builds your leadership presence and authority. Try answers like, “I don’t have enough information right now, but I’ll find out” or “Great question! Let me get back to you.” Simply responding with “I don’t know” is not an option. - Jan Molino, Aspire Ascend
