My favourite management strategy is to wait

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I have an excellent team of around 20 people. I've recruited and trained most of them, so I can take credit for some of that but they are excellent, committed individuals.

When faced with an operational challenge, of which there have been numerous in recent weeks, my favourite strategy is to wait and see what they come up with.

They always find a solution, often better than mine would have been, as they have a better understanding of the detail of how things work on a daily basis.

I also think it helps them feel empowered and involved so a solution they've come up with themselves is more likely to work/be followed through than something that's been imposed on them.

That said, I always take responsibility when things go badly and give credit where it's due when they go right. If one of their solutions works, I will tell everyone who's success it was. If it didn't work out, it's my team, I'm in charge so it was my fault.

Brilliant leadership, or lazy?

Nope. You are in the stage of management where you are not micromanaging and understanding that if you let people deal with a task or problem themselves, they are likely to stick to the solution. If you share autonomy, you will empower your team. It means you can view the situation from a strategic perspective. You are transitioning to leadership.

Excellent and empowering. It means the staff can find the solutions that work best on the ground, and they can never turn around and blame you for forcing through or implementing something ineffective.