“But, what am I supposed to do with what I know?” Eliana prodded.
“Ask better questions,” I replied.
“Isn’t it easier just to tell the team what to do and how to do it?” she wanted to know.
“Yes, easier, for sure. But, the problems we face today were caused by what we knew yesterday. What we knew yesterday, if we stick to it, will prevent us from solving the problem today. As long as we are stuck in what we knew yesterday, we continue to be part of the problem, today.”
“They screwed it up again,” Charmagne protested. “Luckily, I managed the risk, so it wasn’t a devastating mistake.”
“Perfect,” I said.
“What do you mean, perfect? You mean perfectly wrong?” she stated flatly.
“I find competent people always in learning mode,” I responded. “To build the competence of the team, you have to keep them in learning mode. Do people learn more by accidentally getting it right? Or inevitably making a mistake? As the manager, this is your perfect opportunity to get your team in learning mode.”