Part of training a child is teaching them how to learn from their own mistakes. When they're young, you will have to do everything for them. But at some point during this 'young' age, you will have to let them do things on their own and learn from their mistakes.
First, you tie your son's shoelaces for him. Then you teach him to do it for himself. There are times when you might need to intervene once in a while so he gets it. Then you let him do it on his own, whatever the outcome is. It might not be perfect. Expect that it might not be as neat as you want it to be. But that's how he will learn. Experience, as cliche as the saying sounds, is the best teacher. Appreciate the effort and give constructive feedback. Celebrate little victories and correct silently. Better yet, tie your own shoelaces together. What's a better way to teach but to be a good example.
It's the same with leadership. When we give our people tasks, we teach them how to do it, better yet, we show them. Expect they will make mistakes. Just because they did for the first few times, we take the responsibility out of their hands and give it someone more capable. You do not tie your son's shoelace for him forever just because he can't do it the way you do. Moreover, you will not ask your other son to tie it for him forever. Guide your people, give constructive feedback, tell them what's wrong with an objective to make them better and not to make them feel that they are not capable of ever being like you or to just prove you're right.
At the end of the day, a good leader's goal is the same as that of a parent's goal - to develop a person that will hopefully be eventually a better version of us.
Photo Credit: Photo taken and owned by my friend, Clem. With me is Berna (and her friend) a favorite kid from one of our non-profit org's partner communities.
I first posted this entry here.
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