Stop babysitting: how to build a self-sufficient team

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If your team relies on you for everything, you don’t have a high-performing team – you have a dependency problem. Leaders who constantly answer questions, fix mistakes, and step in before employees struggle believe that they’re being supportive. In reality, they’re creating a team that can’t think, act, or make decisions without them.

High-performing teams don’t wait for permission. They anticipate problems, think critically, and own their work. If your team isn’t doing that, then the problem isn’t them – it’s how you’re leading. Here’s how to stop babysitting and start building a self-sufficient team.

1. Stop giving answers – start asking questions

Some leaders equate being helpful with being needed. When a team member asks a question, it feels good to have the answer. Over time, this creates a power dynamic – the team looks to the leader for guidance and the leader feels valuable providing it. The problem? This reinforces dependency instead of teaching the team to think for themselves.

If your team comes to you for every decision, approval, or next step, it’s not because they’re incapable – it’s because you’ve trained them to rely on you. The more you provide answers, the more they default to you instead of thinking critically.

Next time someone asks, “What should I do?” don’t give them an answer. Instead, respond with: “What do you think?” “What options have you considered?” “If I weren’t available, how would you handle this?” Then, shut your mouth and let them answer… and do this over, over, and over again. This forces your team to develop problem-solving skills and build confidence in their own judgment. The more they practice, the better they get.

Giving answers feels good because it proves your expertise and makes you feel needed. But, if your team always relies on you, you’re not leading – you’re creating dependency. Instead of measuring your value by how many problems you solve, shift your mindset to how many people you develop who can solve problems without you.

2. Set the expectation that problems come with solutions

If your team brings you problems but never solutions, it’s because you’ve trained them to. Many leaders unknowingly create a problem-focused culture by rewarding issue-spotting instead of solution-thinking. Others fall into the fixer trap, believing it’s their job to solve everything – after all, that’s what has made them successful in the past. And sometimes, the broader company culture reinforces escalation over ownership, making it the default behavior.

The fix? Establish a rule – when bringing up a challenge, your team must bring a possible solution, the pros and cons of that solution, and what support they need (if any).

Your job isn’t to fix – it’s to empower. Instead of thinking “It’s my job to fix problems,” shift to “It’s my job to develop people who fix problems.”

3. Stop rescuing – let people struggle because it’s where growth happens

If you’re always rescuing your team before they struggle, you’re not supporting them – you’re holding them back. Many leaders step in too soon because watching others struggle feels uncomfortable or they worry that it might reflect poorly on them. Every time you fix something for your team, you reinforce the belief that they can’t handle challenges on their own.

If you never let your team wrestle with challenges, you’re not developing them – you’re just making yourself indispensable.

Instead of thinking, “If I don’t step in, things will go wrong,” shift to “My job isn’t to prevent mistakes – it’s to make sure something is learned from them.” When you feel the urge to step in, ask yourself Am I stepping in because they truly need me or because I feel uncomfortable watching them struggle? Am I worried about their potential failure – or about how their potential failure will reflect on me?

Be realistic. Your team will make mistakes. And how you respond determines whether they learn or just become afraid to take risks. Letting your team struggle isn’t about trusting them blindly – it’s about trusting yourself and the learning process.

From dependency to ownership

If your team can’t operate without you, you’re the bottleneck. Stop answering every question, fixing every issue, and rescuing people before they struggle. Instead, shift ownership back to your team. Effective leaders develop others to be self-sufficient. The less they need you, the better you’ve done your job.

In today’s fast-paced, rapidly evolving business landscape, effective leadership development is non-negotiable. Clients consistently report that their work with Amber results in elevated leadership skills, increased productivity, reduced turnover, and enhanced interpersonal effectiveness. Clients have built and led high-performing teams, fostered self-accountability, and seen less resistance to change initiatives. Many have attained promotions, boosted their confidence, and taken control of their time and energy.

Stop babysitting: how to build a self-sufficient team

1. Stop giving answers – start asking questions

2. Set the expectation that problems come with solutions

3. Stop rescuing – let people struggle because it’s where growth happens

From dependency to ownership

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