Not Every Problem Needs Your Fix—Sometimes It Needs Their Brain to Fire

You solve problems. That’s what leaders do.

But if you’re the one with all the answers, your team’s brain isn’t firing—yours is.

And the more you fix, the more they lean back… instead of stepping up.

You’ve been there.

You’re busy. The team’s under pressure. A team member comes to you mid-chaos:

“I’m stuck.”“This isn’t working.”“What do I do?”

Your instinct kicks in: fix it fast, move on. And sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed.

Other times? They nod, walk away, do the bare minimum.

And the next time they’re stuck—they come straight back.

Every time you solve it for them, you teach them one thing:

“My brain doesn’t need to switch on—yours will do.”

That’s not leading. That’s creating a dependency.

What’s Actually Happening?

When someone’s stuck, their brain is often in protection mode, not problem-solving mode.

Uncertainty, pressure, or perceived failure can trigger the amygdala—the brain’s threat detector. That shuts down reasoning, initiative, and clarity.

This is where your response matters.

• If you tell, you stabilise—but you may accidentally reinforce reliance.

• If you coach, you re-engage the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for thinking, planning, and self-direction.

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Coaching isn’t soft. It’s strategic.

It activates the very part of the brain that helps them take ownership—and grow.

The Leadership Shift

Before jumping in, pause and ask:

“Does this moment need my solution—or their activation?”

Here’s a quick guide:

• If they’re overwhelmed or in crisis → stabilise = tell

• If they’re capable but unclear → spark = coach

One powerful coaching prompt:

“What’s one option you’ve already thought about?”

That simple question gets the brain firing again.

Lead Smarter with Brain Science

If people keep coming to you for answers, it might not mean they’re stuck.

It might mean their brain has never been given the space to switch on.

When you lead with the brain in mind, you don’t just fix problems—you build people who know how to face them.

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At Lead Smarter, we help leaders recognise when to step in—and when to step back.

Because not every problem needs your fix.

Sometimes it needs their brain to fire—and their confidence to rise with it.

And when you know how to read it, you unlock clarity, momentum, and engagement.

If this sparked something, let’s chat. We can start with Colored Brain assessments for your teams.

Sometimes one shift in how you respond changes how your whole team shows up.