Building Confident Decision-Makers
Build stronger leaders, not just stronger results.
Building Confident Decision-Makers
By Julia LeFevre
Gabe shared about his own journey as a leader and the challenge of developing decision-making in others. He explained that credibility and results are important, but they are not enough if leaders are not equipping others to decide with confidence.
For Gabe, this means creating room for mistakes. He said leaders need to “cover the first one,” stepping in with grace when someone makes an error, and then use it as a coaching moment. The goal is not to avoid all risk but to build a culture where people learn how to take ownership, even when they misstep.
It is tempting for leaders to step in quickly and correct things themselves. But doing so often keeps others from developing the very skills the team needs to grow.
A Next Step for Leaders
This week, consider where you might be stepping in too quickly. Ask yourself:
Who on my team is ready for more space to decide?
When was the last time I treated a mistake as a coaching opportunity?
How can I communicate support while still holding people accountable to grow?
By giving people permission to learn through experience, you build stronger leaders, not just stronger results.
Let's keep taking one step at a time, together!
Julia
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