Is your ‘help’ beneficial or destructive?

Great leaders want to see their people succeed. We want our employees to take on new responsibilities, pursue learning opportunities, and meet career goals. Also, we want to help the process.

But how do you know if your help is actually benefitting your employee? Can “help” cause more harm than good?

According to leadership expert Dan Rockwell, yes, there is harmful help. He outlines several characteristics to help leaders determine whether they have destructive “help” tendencies, which include micromanaging, feeling burnt out from taking on someone else’s responsibilities, feeling resentment for not having the “favor” returned, prolonging incompetence, and more.

Leadership is about empowering your people. And being helpful is a positive attribute. But, as leaders – whether in official title or perception on a team – we must recognize where we overstep. After all, many of us are high achievers. We want to get things done and ensure they are done well.

 

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