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4 Reasons Why You Need to Stop Being Responsible For All The Answers


One of the most common erroneous beliefs I come across in working with business owners is the idea that, as the owner or the leader, they have to have all of the answers.

This couldn't be further from the truth. And I don't say this as a, "So give yourself a break" kind of comment. I say this as a, "Please stop thinking this now, it could be ruining your business" statement.

This kind of thinking sabotages your business's potential for success in four very significant ways:

1. It limits your number of possible solutions or innovations. If your brain is the only one working on it, then anything you haven't thought of or don't know yet, is outside of your reach.

2. It makes your team overly dependent on you. If your team is used to you being the source for all ideas and direction, then you are stunting their ability to develop problem-solving skills, hindering their autonomy to make decisions that are in the best interest of your customers, and possibly killing whatever self-starter initiative they may have originally possessed when they joined your team. That is if they stay long enough for it to become eroded and don't just leave instead.

3. You become trapped in your business. If no one can function without your direction first, then you are not free to work on building your business. Instead, you are stuck conducting day to day operations and activities. You are really nothing more than an employee in your business in this situation.

4. Finally, you risk becoming entrenched in your position. For a leader who truly believes that they have all of the answers, finding out they don't can be hard to swallow. In some cases, so difficult that the need to be right becomes more important than finding a solution.

The self-aware leader not only knows the above to be true, but they can recognize when these things are starting to come up for them, and can redirect their thinking and behavior to be more productive. They actively cultivate trust, feedback processes, idea sharing, empowerment and recognition in their teams. If you recognize any of the above in your own leadership, or your team's, connect with me and let's explore what's going on and if I can help.

With over 20 years of experience as a strategic consultant for global Leadership and Development initiatives with some of the world’s top Fortune 500 companies, Trish Cody has coached and consulted with senior level teams in planning, designing, launching, and measuring the return for major initiatives.

As a Certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Master Practitioner, Trish works with entrepreneurs, senior leaders and their teams to uncover their real desires for their organization, and then to align those desires with their values to co-create a strategy for execution and accountability. The leaders Trish partners with are truly working their own best plan for success in achieving their desired “new state” and weathering the changes that success brings.

To learn more about how Trish can help you and your team with one-on-one coaching, team coaching or speaking at your event, please contact trish@trishcody.com.


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