Everyone Likes to Have a Choice
One of my favorite things about being Papa is getting one-on-one time with my granddaughters. ❤️
When Bristol’s older sister got to go to Worlds of Fun, a local amusement park, I decided it was the perfect opportunity for a special Papa date with my five-year-old granddaughter. Since we weren’t going to the theme park, we created our own adventure: Donuts of Fun!
We started at a local donut shop that Bristol got to choose. Not only did she pick her donut, but she also got to select mine. Fortunately, she chose a delicious bear claw. I suspect the intriguing donut name had something to do with it!
Next, we headed to a thrift store. Her mission? Pick out a dress for herself and a shirt for me.
I’ll admit, I was a little nervous. What exactly would I be wearing when we left the store? 😂
Bristol found the perfect dress, complete with lots of tulle for dress-up. Then we headed to the men’s section to find my shirt.
At first, she was eyeing some 3XL shirts. I wasn’t sure whether she thought I needed a tent or was trying to tell me something! But as we worked our way toward more appropriate sizes, she spotted a dark blue dri-fit T-shirt that I probably would have picked myself.
I stepped out of the dressing room, and she looked at me with a big smile.
“YES!”
Apparently, I had passed her inspection!
We didn’t ride roller coasters or eat cotton candy, but we had a fun time. What I loved most was seeing Bristol’s excitement and pride as she made the decisions. She wasn’t just along for the ride. She was leading the adventure!
And it got me thinking about leadership.
How often do we, as business leaders, unintentionally take away opportunities for others to lead because we think we know the best answer?
It’s tempting to make the decision ourselves. It’s often faster, easier, and probably closer to how we would do it.
But when we always have the answers, we may be preventing others from developing the confidence to find their own.
Whether it’s a five-year-old choosing a donut, an employee leading a project, or a future leader making a tough decision, we equip people for success by giving them opportunities to make decisions—not just instructions to follow.
Our job isn’t simply to get the work done. It’s to help people grow into what they’re capable of becoming.
Sometimes the best leadership move is to step back, offer guidance, and let someone else lead.
And if you’re lucky, you might even get a bear claw out of the deal! 😁 — Rusty