The easiest leadership trap to fall into is also the most flattering: becoming the person everyone relies on for the answer. It feels efficient, it feels decisive, and it can even feel like you’re serving your team. But when every problem routes to you, you may be building dependency instead of capability and paying for it with your time, your energy, and your team’s growth.

Today’s Time and Energy Morning Brief draws on a Harvard Business Review idea from Jamal Zaki that hit us hard: the best leaders embrace the role of supporting character. We talk through what changes when you get genuinely curious about the people you lead instead of assuming you already know what they need. We unpack the difference between helping someone solve a problem and helping them become someone who can solve the next one, then connect it to revenue alignment and execution. Do the people doing the work truly understand how their work creates customer value, shapes customer confidence, and supports the bigger business strategy?

You’ll walk away with practical coaching questions you can use the very next time someone brings you a challenge, plus a simple rule of thumb: ask how they’re thinking first, then add your perspective. If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a leader who’s carrying too many decisions, and leave a review so more people can find the Morning Brief. What’s one question you’re going to ask before you answer?

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