YBB Newsletter

When I made the transition from running a team of 18 to a team of 30, the biggest thing it made me realise was that I’d totally misunderstood what it looked like to empower my team.

I had been operating on the assumption that if my team was happy, then all was well - we would have harmony, no one would leave, the work would be good.

How did this assumption lead me to behave? - I was jumping in, solving, fixing, accommodating, pleasing, advising.

This felt good in the moment for all of us - I was being useful and they were happy.

But what I was also cueing to the team was: “I don’t think you can handle this by yourself.”

It wasn’t until I led a much larger team and literally couldn’t fix everything that I was forced to update my definition of empowerment.

Re-THINKing Empowerment

I learnt that empowerment is not giving people people what they want, it’s giving them what they need to grow.

Empowerment isn’t about removing all friction, cushioning every fall, or shaping the environment around someone’s preferences.

True empowerment is about creating the conditions for growth. That often means holding space for discomfort, encouraging others to step into responsibility, and letting them sit in uncertainty long enough to figure things out.

The hard part? We have to tolerate the discomfort too — of not being liked all the time, of watching others struggle, of having tough conversations.

3 Ideas for Getting Started

1. Acknowledge: That stepping back is not unkind, it’s giving your team (and you) the space to grow.

2. Set Clear Expectations, not just Open Options:

   Instead of: “Do whatever works for you.”
   Try: “Here’s the outcome we need — how do you want to get there?”

3. Pause Before Solving: When someone brings you a challenge, resist the urge to jump in with answers. Ask:

   “What have you tried so far?”
   “What do you think is the next best step?”

Remember, you’re not removing the challenge, you’re helping someone rise to it.

It’s not easy to stop being the hero

We have heroes on a pedestal and trying to stop being the one who saves the day goes against some strongly held beliefs and faces practical challenges:

• How do you know when to step back?

• What do you do when you leave someone to it and their efforts fall short?

• We all get out hands dirty here… I can’t just step back.

If you want to go deeper on this, I offer 121 and group training and coaching on how to manage and lead people effectively (whilst doing all the other stuff!). Get in touch at [email protected] to find out more.

Thank you for reading.

Keep burning bright - not out x