Why fixing mistakes too quickly can hold your team back
Stepping in the moment something goes wrong feels like strong leadership. Done every time, it stops your team from learning to solve problems themselves.
THE QUICK ANSWER
Rushing in to fix a mistake feels decisive, but it can quietly weaken your team. Taking over the moment something breaks solves today’s problem and creates next week’s, because nobody learns to catch it. The same issue keeps coming back to your desk, and you begin to think the team cannot be trusted. The fix is to ask “What would you try first?” before you step in, and to count to five before touching it.
GO DEEPER
Pausing before you take over
When something goes wrong, stepping in yourself is often the fastest route to a solution. You may know exactly what to do, and fixing it quickly seems responsible, especially if a client or deadline is involved. It can feel like the obvious act of a capable manager.
Each time you take over, though, the person closest to the problem misses the chance to work it out. They learn that mistakes are handled by you, not them. The same kind of error returns because nobody else has built the skill to spot or resolve it, which can lead you to the mistaken conclusion that your team is not capable.
The video suggests a simple pause. Before fixing anything, ask “What would you try first?” Taking over says “I don’t trust you with this”; asking says “I trust you to figure it out.” The practical habit is to count to five before you touch the problem, giving the other person room to think.
There are times when stepping in immediately is right, such as when there is a genuine risk to safety, customers or legal obligations. The aim is not to withhold help but to make sure your first move invites thinking. You can still guide, correct or take over if their approach would not work.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Before you fix it, ask what they would try first. A short pause today saves the same mistake landing on your desk next week.
TEST YOURSELF
A team member makes an error in a report you could correct in a minute. What would the video recommend?
PRACTISE IT
Try this lesson in the arcade
Quick retro games that start with this lesson’s situations. One thumb, one to three minutes, free.
