Don’t be a helicopter leader

Have you heard the term “helicopter parent“?

Well, I try not to be a “helicopter leader” (although I am sure I don’t always succeed). When mentoring a team of people, it can be tempting to do things for them if they aren’t getting things perfectly right, but that can distract you from your job as a leader and it prevents them from learning from their own mistakes.

To borrow from T.E. Lawrence (yes, that one): Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better that your team do it tolerably than you do it perfectly. It is their work and you are to help them, not do it for them.

You can always help them improve during “lessons learned” sessions.